GENERAL  »HISTORY 


JQ  PL 


Sated  upon  the  Atirimt  Document*  relating  to,  and  the  Monument* 

erected  by  thi*  fraternity  front,  its  finnidatlon  in  t/ie 

Tear  713  Ji.  C.  to  the  present  time. 


TRANSLATED  AND  COMPILED  FROM  TUB  MASONIC  HISTORIES  o» 

EMMANUEL    RESOLD,  M.  D., 

Pott  Deputy  af  the  Grand  Orient  of  Fratocf.  President  of  llx  Academy  of  Tndmtriat 
Sciences,  and  a  Member  of  many  Philosophic  aiM  Scientific  Societiet, 

BY  J.  FLETCHER  BRENNAN, 

EDITOR  OF  THE  AMERICAN  FREKJIASON'S  MAGAZINE. 


, 


CINCINNATI: 

AMERICAN  MASONIC  PUBLISHING  ASSOCIATION, 

114   MAIN   STREET, 

18G8. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1866,  by 
J.  F.  BRENNAN, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 
Southern  District  of  Ohio. 


STEREOTYPED    AT   TH* 

FRANKLIN    TYI'K    FOVNDKY,  . 

CINCINNATI. 


MORSE  STEFHENS 


GRAND  ORIENT  OF  FRANCE, 
THE  SUPREME  COUNCIL  FOR  FRANCE, 

AND  THE  NATIONAL  GRAND  LODGE  OF  FRANCE, 

at  the  East  of  Pari-s ; 


GRAND  ORIENT  AND  SUPREME  COUNCIL  OF  BELGIUM, 

at  the  East  of  Brussels  ; 

TO  THK 

NATIONAL    GRAND    LODGE    OF    HOLLAND^ 

at  the  E«st  of  the  Hague  ;  ' 


NATIONAL    ALPINE    GRAND    LODGK. 
at  the  East  of  Zurich  ; 


ALL    THE    LODGES     OF    THEIR    ALLIANCE, 

THE  £  UTHOft. 


DEDICATED 


TATES  OF 


THE 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


Title,  Author's  Dedication,  Translator's  Dedication  and  Introduction,  Table  of 
Contents,  Preface,  and  Report  of  Examining  Comiuitteo « pp.  1-26 

GENERAL  HISTORY  OF  FREEMASONRY. 

Introduction 27 

Origin  of  all  the  worships 28 

"     of  Hieroglyphics  and  Symbols 29 

"     of  Mysteries,  Sybils,  Oracles,  Magi 30 

"     of  the  Roman  Colleges  of  Builders,  the  Cradle  of  Freemasonry 34 

The  organization  and  privileges  of  these  colleges 35 

Origin  of  the  expression  "  Grand  Architect  of  the  Universe  " 35 

Introduction  and  development  of  the  colleges  in  Britain 30 

Charter  of  St.  Alban,  A.  D.  292 40 

Origin  of  the  qualification  "Free  Mason"  41 

"     of  the  title  "Worshipful  Master" 46 

Charter  of  York,  A.  D.  926 48 

Origin  of  the  dedication  of  lodges  to  St.  John 49 

Masonic  corporations  of  Lombardy 50 

Monopolies  accorded  to  the  Masonic  corporations  by  the  Popes 51 

Organization  and  development  of  the  Fraternity  in  Germany 52 

The  stone-cutters  of  Strasburg,  A.  D.  1459 i 53 

Influence  of  the  "  Reformation  "  upon  the  Masonic  corporations 54 

Importance  of  the  Fraternity  in  England  in  the  17th  and  18th  centuries...  54 

Origin  of  the  "higher"  degrees 54 

"      of  the  title  "  Royal  Art  "  accorded  to  Frsemasonry 55 

Transformation  of  the  Fraternity  to  a  philosophic  institution 56 

Its  new  constitution  as  such 57 

Its  influence  upon  social  progress '57 

Persecutions  directed  against  it 57 

Divers  opinions  as  to  the  origin  of  Freemasonry 59 

Explanation  of  the  two  Forms  of  its  initiations 60 

It  is  an  imitation  and  not  a  continuation  of  ancient  mysteries Cl 

Object  of  the  initiation  into  the  mysteries  of  antiquity  62 

Object  and  doctrine  of  modern  Freemasonry, 62 

Approaching  ideal  of  Freemasonry 63 

•       (vii) 


Vlll  CONTENTS. 

HISTORICAL  SUMMARY  OF  THK  MOVEMENTS  OF  THE  MASONIC  CORPORATIONS  IN  GAUL, 
PROM  THKIR  INTRODUCTION,  IN  THK  YEAR  60  B.  C.,  TO  THEIR  DISSOLUTION,  IN 
THK  16TH  CENTURY. 

Establishment  of  the  Roman  Colleges  of  Builders  in  Trans-Alpine  Gaul  after 

its  conquest * 64 

Establishment  of  the  great  military  roads  from  Home  to  Gaul 66 

Erection  of  Rome-Gallic  cities 67 

Re-erection  of  the  destroyed  cities  and  towns 68 

Vestiges  of  ancient  Romo  Gallic  monuments  in  France 69 

Separation  of  the  Colleges  of  Builders  into  different  bodies 71 

Erection  of  the  first  Christian  churches  and  monasteries 71 

Architectural  knowledge  of  monastic  refugees 72 

Celebrated  architects  who  go  out  from  the  Masonic  schools 72 

Architecture  in  France  under  Charlemagne 72 

The  Masonic  corporations  directed  by  the  religious  orders .  73 

Architecture  paralyzed  by  the  terrors  of  the  year  1000 73 

General  renewal  of  all  the  religious  edifices 73 

The  Masonic  corporations  of  Lombardy  extend  over  Europe 74 

Their  monopolies  renewed  by  all  the  Popes 74 

League  of  mutual  succor  among  the  Masonic  brethren 74 

The  architect  fraternity  of  bridge  and  road  builders 74 

Conception  and  erection  of  the  great  cathedrals  of  France 75 

Unity  of  plans  visible  in  all  buildings  by  Freemasons 76 

Effect  of  the  "Reformation"  upon  the  Masonic  corporations 77 

Disintegration  of  the  corporations  the  origin  of  trade  unions  77 

Consequences  of  the  disintegration  of  the  Masonic  corporations 78 

Celebrated  French  architects  who  succeeded  those  of  the  corporations 78 

ABRIDGMENT  OP  THK  HISTORY  OP  MODERN  OR  PHILOSOPHIC  FREEMASONRY  IN 
FRANCE,  FROM  ITS  INTRODUCTION  IN  1721  TO  THE  ESTABLISHMENT  OP  THK 
GRAND  ORIENT  IN  1772. 

First  lodges  founded  at  Dunkirk  and  at  Paris 80 

Lord  Derwentwatcr  first  Provincial  Grand  Master  for  France 81 

Establishment  of  a  Provincial  Grand  Lodge  for  France 81 

Baron  Ramsay  introduces  his  Jacobite  Masonry 81 

Lord    llarnwester  the  second  Provincial  Graud  Master  for  France, 82 

He  is  succeeded  by  the  Duke  of  Autin 83 

The  P.  G.  L.  of  France  takes  the  title  of  English  G.  L.  of  France 83 

Difficulties  follow  and  increase  constantly 83 

Origin  of  the  chapters  of  Arras  and  of  Clermont 84 

Origin  of  the  Rite  of  Perfection 85 

Incongruities  in  the  accepted  history  of  the  A.  and  A.  S.  Rite 85 

Continued  disgust  and  disagreeability  among  the  Fraternity 86 

English  G.  L.  of  France  becomes  the  National  G.  L.  of  France 86 

The  Grand  Master,  to  avoid  d'lty,  selects  deputies 87 

Thev  misbehave,  and  their  commissions  are  revoked 87 

Consequent  schism  of  the  (Deputy)  Laeorne  faction 87 

Stephen  Morin  is  patented  for  America 88 


CONTENTS.  IX 

A  reconciliation  but  engenders  subsequent  dissension 89 

The  G.  L.  revokes  all  ad  vitam  and  other  patents 90 

Lacorne's  party  is  expelled  and  proceed  to  extremes 90 

The  government  interferes  and  interdicts  Freemasonry  90 

Each  party  misbehaves  in  a  grievous  manner 91 

Events  consequent  upon  the  Grand  Master's  death 91 

Election  of  the  Duke  of  Chartres  to  the  vacant  position 92 

He  is  induced  to  accept  the  direction  of  all  the  bodies 93 

Establishment  of  the  Grand  Orient 94 

A3RIDGMENT  OP  THE  HISTORY  OP  MODERN  OR  PHILOSOPHIC  FfiKEMASONRY  IN 
ENGLAND,  DENMARK,  SWEDEN,  RUSSIA,  POLAND, GERMANY,  HOLLAND,  BEL- 
GIUM, SWITZERLAND,  ITALY  AND  PORTUGAL,  FROM  ITS  INTRODUCTION  INTO 

THOSE  COUNTRIES  TO  THK  PRESENT  TIMR. 

Circumstances  attending  the  establishment  of  the  G.  L.  of  London 95 

Compilation  of  "Anderson's  Constitutions" 96 

The  G.  L.  of  London  assumes  the  initiate  and  sole  authority 97 

The  Freemasons  of  York  and  Edinburgh  protest , 97 

The  G.  L.'s  of  Ireland  and  Scotland  are  established 98 

Exceptions  made  by  the  lodge  of  Canongate  Kilwinning 99 

Origin  of  the  Rite  of  Harodim  of  Kilwinning 100 

Pope  Benedict  XIV  and  others  interdict  Freemasonry 101 

In  London  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Ancient  Masons  is  organized 102 

Origin  of  the  Royal  Arch  degree 103 

Union  of  the  two  Grand  Lodges  in  1813 104 

What  English  Freemasons  have  accomplished  at  home 105 

Present  organization  of  the  G.  L.  of  England 105 

"  "          of  the  G.  L.  of  Scotland 107 

"  "          of  the  G.  L.  of  Ireland 107 

Present  condition  of  Freemasonry  in  Great  Britain 107 

Introduction  of  Freemasonry  into  Denmark 108 

"  "  into  Sweden 110 

Jesuitical  interference  with  Freemasonry  in  Sweden Ill 

The  Templar  system  introduced  by  Jesuit  emissaries 112 

Introduction  of  Freemasonry  into  Russia 113 

Catharine  II  protects  and  encourages  it 114 

Jesuitical  interference  causes  it  to  be  abused 115 

Interdiction  of  Paul  I  revoked  by  Alexander  I,  and  afterward  confirmed....  115 

Introduction   of  Freemasonry  into  Poland 116 

The  Jesuit  system  of  strict  observance  is  introduced 117 

Introduction  of  Freemasonry  into  Belgium 118 

Joseph  I,  Emperor  of  Austria,  interdicts  it 119 

When  Belgium  becomes  a  French  province  it  is  revived 119 

Prince  Frederick,  as  Grand  Master,  becomes  its  protector 120 

King  Leopold  unites  the  lodges  into  a  Grand  Orient 121 

Masonry  triumphs  over  Jesuitism 121 

The  new  Grand  Master,  Verhaegen,  recommends  general  discussions  in  the 
lodges 122 


X  CONTEXTS. 

Introduction  of  Freemasonry  into  Holland , 123 

The  Jesuits  preach  against  it  and  excite  the  people , 124 

Establishment  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Holland 125 

"  of  the  G.  L.  for  the  Low  Countries 126 

The  charter  of  Cologne  is  discovered 127 

Introduction  of  Freemasonry  into  Germany 128 

Freemasonry  in  Prussia 129 

Initiation  of  Frederick  the  Great  at  Brunswick 130 

Present  condition  of  Freemasonry  in  Prussia 131 

Freemasonry  in  Saxony 132 

"          in  Hanover 132 

"  in  Bavaria 133 

"  in  the  Grand  Duchy  of  Baden 134 

"          in  Wurtemburg  and  Hesse  Darmstadt 135 

in  Hesse-Cassel  and  Brunswick 136 

Duke  Ferdinand  of  Brunswick  becomes  head  of  the  Templar  system 137 

He  convokes  various  Masonic  congresses 138 

The  Jesuits  cause  Freemasonry  to  be  interdicted  in  Austria 139 

Freemasonry  in  Bohemia 140 

Recapitulation  of  Masonic  lodges  in  Germany 140 

Introduction  of  Freemasonry  into  Switzerland 141 

Masonic  Directories  at  Basle  and  Lausanne 142 

Erection  of  "  Hope  "  Lodge  at  Berne  to  a  Prov.  G.  L.  of  England 143 

Establishment  of  the  Alpine  Grand  Lodge 144 

Introduction  of  Freemasonry  into  Italy 145 

"  "  into  Sardinia 146 

Establishment  of  the  Grand  Orient  at  Naples , 147 

General  Garibaldi  is  elected  chief  the  Sup.  Council  for  Sicily 148 

Introduction  of  Freemasonry  into  Portugal 149 

Acts  of  the  Portuguese  "  Holy  Office". 150 

Freemasonry  is  interdicted  by  John  VI,  King  of  Portugal 151 

Introduction  of  Freemasonry  into  Spain 152 

Ferdinand  VI,  King  of  Spain,  interdict?  its  operations 153 

European  countries  in  which  Freemasonry  is  now  interdicted 154 

HISTORY  OP  THE  ORIGIN  OF  THE  AXCIKXT  AXD  ACCEPTED  SCOTTISH  RITK,  AND 
ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  SUPREME  COUNCIL  FOR  FRANCE. 

Partisan  evidence  as  to  the  origin  of  the  rite 156 

Reflections  upon  this  evidence  159 

Impartial  evidence  as  to  the  origin  of  the  rite 160 

Pro'»f  adduced  that  Frederick  II  was  not  its  chief 162 

Extract  from  the  Book  of  Gold.. 165 

Real  origin  of  the  rite 166 

Its  contemptuous  disownment  by  the  G.  L.  of  Scotland 169 

Introduction  of  the  rite  into  France 172 

Remarks  in  connection  with  the  history  of  this  rite 174 


CONTENTS.  XI 
ORIGIN  AND  HISTORY  OK  THK  '•  EGYPTIAN  RITE  OK  MISRAIM,"  FROM  ITS  CBEATIO* 

IN    180(5  TO  THK  1'REjKNT  TIMiJ. 

Account  of  its  origin  by  its  French  agent,  M.  Bedarride 178 

Mark  and  Michael  Bedarride  its  propagandists 180 

Its  real  author  Lechangeur  of  M ilan 181 

He  denies  bis  highest  degrees  to  the  brothers  Bedarride  182 

Thvy  surreptitiously  obtain  them  and  establish  a  council  at  Paris 183 

Description  of  the  rite ISA 

Difficult  t)  organize  lodges — France  in  mourning  (1815) 188 

Grave  abuses  appear  in  the  administration  of  the  executive 187 

The  rite  is  interdicted  by  the  G.  0.  of  France 188 

The  brothers  Bedarride  obtain  a  new  patent 189 

The  rite  is  interdicted  by  Frederick,  G.  M.  of  Netherland  lodges 189 

The  administration  and  its  constituents  at  war 190 

Expulsion  of  a  whole  lodge 191 

Misappropriation  of  the  funds  by  the  executive  192 

The  Grand  Oi  lent  is  exhorted  to  suppress  the  rite 193 

The  brothers  Bedarride  present  their  little  bill  of  charges 195 

It  amounts  to  only  $20,550 195 

They  arrange  a  new  obligation,  binding  all  to  pay  it 190 

Objectors  to  this  obligation  are  expelled 197 

The  death  of  Mark  Bedarride  lets  up  nobody 197 

The  rite  is  ridiculed  by  the  "  MasonicGlobe  " 198 

Funds  are  demanded  to  bury  a  brother 199 

Michael  Bedarride  requires  all  the  funds  to  pay  his  bill 200 

The  applicants  protest  and  denounce  the  whole  swindle 201 

Dying,  M.  Bedarride  bequeaths  his  bill  to  his  successor 201 

The  successor,  an  honest  man,  arranges  M.  B.'s  debts 201 

Then  stigmatizing  the  little  bill  a?  "  a  debt  accursed,"  he  cancels  it 202 

Reflections  upon  the  history  of  this  rite 202 

CONCISK  HISTORY  OP  THE  RITE  OF  MKMPHI*,  FROM  ITS  CREATION  IN  1838  UNTIL 
ITS  FUSION  INTO  THE  GRAND  ORIENT  OK  FRANCE  IX  18(52. 

The  author's  account  of  the  rite 203 

Strictures  upon  this  account  , 204 

Introduction  of  the  rite  into  France 205 

Its  author  an  expelled  member  of  the  rite  of  Misraiui 200 

Extracts  from  the  Constitution .  207 

The  author  begins  to  operate  with  his  rite  in  France 208 

Meets  with  difficulties  and  goes  to  London 209 

In  fie  latter  city  the  rite  explodes , 210 

He  then  goes  to  America  and  founds  a  lodge  at  Troy,  N.  Y 211 

Marshal  Miignan's  magnanimous  decree  covers  the  rite 211 

The  Grand  Orient  adopts  it,  and  M.  Marconis,  its  author,  is  happy 'Jll 

A  COXCISK  HlSTORYOF  THK  OlUOINOF  AM.  THE  15lTKS  FOR  HlCH   D KG HERS  INTItO- 

DCCKD  IN  rj  FKKKMASOXRY  FROM  17:5»;  TO  THK  PRESENT  TIMK. 

The  only  true  traditional  Freemasonry  has  but  three  degrees 212 


Xll  CONTENTS. 

The  Jesuits  first  break  this  arrangement 213 

To  support  the  "  Pretender  "  they  create  new  degrees.  214 

They  extend  their  nets  over  Germany  and  France 215 

Investigation  elicits  some  important  discoveries 216 

They  denaturalize  the  institution  in  France 217 

They  construct  the  system  of  Strict  Observance 218 

The  College  of  Clermont  the  nest  in  which  new  rites  are  hatched 219 

The  Jesuits  divide  continental  Europe  into  provinces 220 

They  erect  "  Unknown  Superiors  "  for  their  system 220 

Investigation  unmasks  the  Order  of  Loyola 221 

"  Modern  Freemasons  are  not  the  successors  of  Knights  Templar  " 222 

What  the  Congress  of  Wilhelmsbad  provoked 223 

Fruits  of  the  Jesuits'  Masonic  systems 224 

The  Order  of  Modern  Templars 225 

The  Kite  of  Rigid  Observers 226 

Intioduction  of  Knight  Templarisui  into  America 226 

The  Rite  of  Unitarian  Masonry 227 

Names  of  Masonic  Rites  extant 228 

Rites  extinct  or  absorbed  into  existing  rites 229 

DOCUMENTARY  AND  HISTORICAL  EVIDENCE  BKARING  DIRECTLY  UPON  THE  ORI- 
GIN /NO  GKNKKAL  HISTORY  OF  FKEKMASONRY  IN  EUROPK. 

Documentary  Evidence 232 

Historical  Evidence,  chronologically  arranged 234 

Indications  of  the  causes  for  diversity  of  opinions,  etc 244 

HISTORICAL  ENUMERATION  OF  THK  PRINCIPAL  MASONIC  CONGRESSES  AND  CON- 

VKNTIONS    WHICH    HAVE    HAU    PLACK    IN    EUKOPK. 

York,  Strasburg,  and  Ratisbonne 251 

Ratisbonne,  Spire,  Colonge  and  Basle 252 

Strasburg,  London  and  Dublin 253 

Edinburgh,  the  Hague,  Jena  and  Altenburg 254 

Kohlo,  Brunswick,  Leipsic  and  Lyons 255 

Wolfenbuttel  and  Wilhelmsbad 256 

Paris,  Zurich,  Berne,  Basle  and  Locle. 257 

Paris  in  1848  and  in  1856 258 

CHRONOLOGICAL  ARRANGEMENT  OF  THK  HISTORY  OF  FREEMASONRY,  BASED  UPON 
THK  ANCIENT  DOCUMENTS  AND  THK  PRINCIPAL  MONUMENTS  KKKCTKU  BY 
THIS  FRATERNITY,  DIVIDED  INTO  THREK  EPOCHS. 

First  Ej/och,  from  715  B.  C.  to  A.  D.  1000,  comprising  the  establishment  of 
the  Colleges  of  Builders  at  Rome  ;  the  construction  of  all  the  monuments 
of  Ancient  Rome  ;  the  founding  of  many  cities  ;  the  results  of  the  perse- 
cutions of  such  of  the  builders  as  became  Christians,  and,  subsequently, 
the  results  of  the  invasions  and  international  wars,  and  dispersion  of  the 
Christian  builders  into  the  East;  the  state  of  architecture  in  Gaul  and 
Britain  under  the  Romans,  and,  after  their  retreat,  under  the  free  and  An- 
glo Saxon  kings  ;  the  reconstruction  of  the  Masonic  corporations  at  the 


CONTENTS.  Xlii 

general  assembly  in  York  A.  D.  926,  and  the  distress  of  the  Masonic  cor- 
porations during  the  terrors  invoked  by  the  clergy  at  the  close  of  the  tenth 
century 259-295 

Second  Epoch,  from  A.  D.  1000  to  A.  D.  1717,  comprising  all  the  most  re- 
markable facts  which  signalized  this  period  as  connected  with  the  arts 
and  philosophy  ;  the  epoch  of  the  construction  of  all  the  great  cathedrals 
and  other  religious  monuments  in  Europe;  the  organization  of  the  Ma- 
sonic corporations  in  Germany,  its  Grand  Lodges,  its  congress  and  results  ; 
the  influence  of  the  Reformation  upon  religious  architecture  ;  the  dissolu- 
tion successively  of  all  the  Masonic  corporations  except  those  of  England; 
and  the  transformation  there,  in  1717,  of  the  Masonic  corporations  into  a 
philosophic  institution 296-311 

Third  Epoch,  from  A.  D.  1717  to  A.  D.  J850,  comprising  all  the  most  remark- 
able occurrences  connected  with  Philosophical  or  Modern  Freemasonry 
during  thif  period  ;  the  causes  and  results  of  the  schisms ;  the  different  con- 
gresses and  their  results  ;  the  dates,  the  places,  and  the  countries  where 
Freemasonry  was  persecuted  ;  and  the  statistics  indicating  its  numbers 

wherever  its  exists 312-339 

Text  of  the  Edict  of  Pope  Pius  VII  against  the  Freemasons 340 

PRIMITIVE  MASONIC  LAWS  AND  CHARTERS. 

Observations  concerning  the  Charter  of  York 347 

Its  non-recognition  of  a  Divine  Trinity 348 

Its  evident  religious  tolerance 348 

It  became  the  basis  of  all  modern  Masonic  constitutions 349 

Its  caption  and  opening  prayer 350 

Note  explanatory  of  its  text 351 

Its  "  Fundamental  Laws  of  the  Brother  Masons  ".   352-355 

Summary  of  the  Ancient  Masonic  Charters,  comprising  the  Roman  Charter,  Char- 
ter of  St.  Alban,  Charter  of  York,  Charter  of  Edward  III,  Charter  of  Scot- 
land, Charters  of  Strasburg,  Charter  of  Cologne,  Charters  of  Scotland  and 
London 355  558 

EPITOME  OF  THE  WORSHIP  AND  THE  MYSTERIES  OF  THK  ANCIENT  EASTERN  WOULD. 

Introduction — Origin  of  all  the  worships 359 

6abeisin,or  sun  worship,  and  its  legends 363 

The  Mysteries  of  India 364 

Mysteries  of  the  Persia'ns 367 

Mysteries  of  Isis  and  Osiris 370 

Mysteries  of  the  Hebrews 373 

Mysteries  of  Eleusis ,     375 

Mjsteries  of  Samothracia 37fi 

Mysteries  of  the  Phrygians  and  Phenicians 877 

Mysteries  of  the  Romans 377 

Sybils  and  Oracles  most  celebrated 379 

LEGISLATORS,  REFORMERS  AND  FOUNDERS  OF  WORSHIPS  AND  MYSTERIES,  WITH 
A  SUMMARY  OF  THEIR  DOCTRINES  IN  INDIA,  CHINA,  PKKS1A,  ETHIOPIA, 
EGYPT,  GREECE,  ROME  AND  JUDEA. 


Xv  CONTENTS. 

NOTES    IU.USTRATTVK    AND    AUTHORITATIVR    OK     SUNDRY    PASSAGES     TV   THR    TEXT 
OH    THE    WORSHIPS    AND    M YSTKK1KS  OF   THE    A.VC1KXT    EASTERN  WORLD. 

Worships  and  Mysteries 384 

Theology  of  the  Ancients 384 

Sacred  Books  of  nil  the  peoples 385 

Cosmogonies 386 

Symbols 389 

Hiram  of  the  Freemasons 392 

The  Angels  393 

Magnificent  monuments  of   the  Hindoos 393 

Bhudda  (Bood,  Boudd) 393 

The  Magi 394 

Temple  of  Bel,  or  Tower  of  Babel 394 

Ecbatana,  Babylonia,  Persepolis 396 

Caves  or  Retreats  of  Mithra 39T 

In  the  throat  of  a  bull 397 

Zoroaster 398 

Zenda  vesta 399 

Temple  of  Ammon 399 

Ethiopia,  once  a  powerful  state 400 

Egypt  in  civilization 400 

Pyramids  of  Ghizza 401 

Hermes 402 

Sybils 402 

The  avenues  of  Thebes 403 

€ubterranean  cities 403 

Jehovah 403 

Tyre 404 

The  Jews  driven  from  Egypt , 404 

The  Pentateuch 405 

The  Prodigies  of  Moses  408 

Dogma  of  an  only  God 408 

Worship  of  the  Stars 413 

The  Essenians 413 

Christianity... 418 

Mysteries  of  Christianity 419 

Eleusis,  Athens 420 

Temple  of  Balbek 420 

Temple  of  Tadmor  (Palmyra) , 420 

Janus 421 

APPENDIX. 

Recapitulation 422 

The  Commandments  of  the  Ancient  Sages 423 

The  Precepts  of  Modern  Freemasonry 426 


TRANSLATOR'S  INTRODUCTION. 


A  connection  of  several  years  with  the  Masonic  press,  during  two 
of  which  he  edited  and  published  The  American  Freemason  s  Mag- 
azine, afforded  the  translator  of  this  work  opportunities  for  reading 
all  that  in  the  English  language  had  been  published  concerning  tha 
origin  and  history  of  Freemasonry,  of  valuing  all  that  was  reason- 
able, and  rejecting  much  that  was  traditional,  apochryphal,  romantic 
and  false.  In  18G1,  and  after  he  had,  in  consequence  of  the  then 
disturbed  condition  of  the  country,  suspended  the  publication  of  his 
magazine,  he  accidentally  became  introduced  by  a  brother  of  rank 
and  education  in  the  Fraternity  at  New  York  to  the  earlier  work  of 
BRO.  RESOLD,  and  after  a  hasty  perusal,  stored  it  among  the  few 
effects  of  a  citizen  soldier  for  future  and,  should  opportunity  offer, 
more  leisure  study.  From  that  study,  within  the  past  year,  the 
decision  to  translate  and  publish  had  been  evolved,  when  he  became 
possessed  of  the  later  work  of  BRO.  REBOLD,  and  from  both  he  has 
compiled  that  which  he  now  presents  and  dedicates  to  the  Fraternity 
in  America.  In  doing  so,  his  conviction  is  fixed  that  at  no  previous 
time  has  he  been  able  to  benefit  that  Fraternity  to  so  great  a  degree 
as  he  now  does,  by  translating  and  publishing  this  work. 


PREFACE. 


BEFORE  I  make  known  to  the  reader  the  motives  which  inspired 
this  history  of  Freemasonry,  I  beg  permission  to  give  here  a  suc- 
cinct confession  of  faith. 

Since  the  moment  when  the  principles  of  Freemasonry  were 
shown  me,  I  have  made  this  institution  a  particular  study,  with 
much  more  fervor  than  that  with  which  I  have  studied  the  relig- 
ion taught  me  in  my  youth;  because,  by  the  light  of  reflection 
ind  experience,  I  found  the  latter  crowded  with  contradictions  and 
puerilities,  while  the  former  offered  logic  and  harmony  according 
with  the  idea  of  a  Divinity  imbued  with  wisdom,  clemency,  power, 
and  love. 

When  circumstances  occasioned  me  to  take  up  my  residence  in 
this  celebrated  city,  (Paris),  at  a  time  when  its  Masonic  temples 
were  recovering  from  the  effects  of  the  political  tumults  of  1847, 
my  heart  found  itself  going  out  toward  that  fraternal  society, 
wherein,  of  all  others,  I  most  expected  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of 
morality  and  brotherly  love.  But  I  am  free  to  confess,  as  then 
conducted,  the  labors  of  the  lodges  left  much  to  desire  j  and  I 
found  that  the  reproaches  addressed  to  Masonry  in  Paris  by  the 
most  serious  authors,  such  as  Thory,  Bazot,  Chemin-Dupontes 
Ragon,  Clavel,  Des  Etangs,  Juge,  and  Moreau,  were  entirely  justi 
fiable. 

And,  notwithstanding  that  there  are  few  places  upon  the  globe 
where  the  Masonic  fraternity  has  produced  results  more  powerful 
and  efficacious   than  at  Paris — where  the  concentration  of  sixty - 
2  (xvii) 


XV111  PREFACE. 

one  lodges  in  the  same  locality  permit  the  most  complete  imiij 
in  a  financial  point,  and  present  moral  and  intellectual  resources 
so  powerful  to  accomplish  so  much,  not  alone  in  the  connection 
of  educating  the  people,  but  also  of  founding  other  humanitarian 
institutions — yet  it  is  necessary  to  state  that  there  is  no  place  in 
the  world  where  the  dissipation  of  moral  strength  is  so  manifest, 
and  where  the  Masonic  fraternity  has  done  so  little  for  suffering 
humanity,  as  in  this  same  Paris,  when  we  consider  the  great  number 
of  Freemasons  who  here  reside. 

But  that  which  struck  me  above  all,  in  assisting  at  the  work 
of  the  lodges  of  Paris,  was  the  total  want  of  intelligent  Masonic 
instruction — a  reproach  which  the  authors  named  have  so  often 
made — the  labors  of  the  lodges  being  altogether  confined  to  the 
ceremonies  of  initiation,  the  regular  lectures,  and  the  administra- 
tion of  their  affairs.  And  it  is  to  this  circumstance,  principally, 
that  it  is  necessary  to  attribute  the  indifference  so  generally  mani- 
fested for  Freemasonry  among  the  wealthy  and  intellectual  Paris- 
ians ;  for  the  greater  portion  of  the  intellectual  initiates,  finding 
nothing  in  the  society,  such  as  they  expected,  to  attract  their 
attention,  after  attending  a  few  meetings,  fall  off,  in  the  belief 
that  Freemasonry  has  no  moral  signification  to  justify  the  consid- 
eration they  had  been  induced  to  accord  to  it. 

These  observations  are  painful  to  Freemasons  convinced  of  the 
high  object  and  deep  signification  of  Freemasonry,  and  who  believe 
it  destined  to  become  one  day  the  religion  of  all  nations ;  and  these 
observations  apply  happily  but  to  Paris,  for,  in  all  other  portions 
of  France,  Masonry  is  much  better  estimated,  and  consequently  its 
value  is  much  better  appreciated  than  in  the  capital. 

This  lack  of  instruction  of  which  I  speak  is  more  apparent  in 
the  superior  initiations  called  "high  degrees,"  or,  to  speak  more 
correctly,  it  is  there  entirely  absent.  By  all,  however,  by  whom 
Masonry  is  estimated,  Masonic  instruction  is  looked  upon  as  a 
sacred  duty  due  to  those  who  are  received  into  its  bosom,  and  that 


PREFACE.  XIX 

instruction  should  be  extended  not  only  to  all  that  concerns  its 
history,  its  object,  and  the  doctrines  of  the  institution,  but  to  all 
that  is  interesting  to  the  friend  of  humanity  and  the  lover  of  his 
race.  And  here  we  can  not  refrain  from  quoting  a  passage  which 
we  find  proceeding  from  the  pen  of  brother  Cesar  Moreau,  of  Mar- 
eeilles,  and  published  in  his  journal,  The  Masonic  World: 

"  From  this  state  of  things  there  resulted  an  Order1  which, 
while  it  embraced  the  universality  of  the  nations,  and  drew  withia 
its  bosom  many  of  the  notabilities  of  all  races,  is  compelled  to 
ignore  its  nature,  its  origin,  its  spirit,  and  its  object ;  and  to 
acknowledge  that  its  traditions  are  forgotten  or  altered;  that  we 
have  substituted  some  novelties  contrary  to  the  genius  of  Masonry ; 
that  the  initiated  fail  to  perceive  any  thing  of  mystery  beyond  the 
ceremonies  and  the  ornaments  of  the  lodge,  and  do  not  suspect 
that  a  hidden  meaning  is  attached  to  the  knowledge  conveyed  by 
the  symbols.  Thus  Masonry  i«  unfaithful  to  its  high  destiny. 
This  society,  which,  according  to  the  ideas  of  its  founders,  is 
entitled  to  the  first  place  in  the  system  of  civilization,  is  allowed 
co  march  in  the  rear  of  that  system.  While  progress  in  every 
other  condition  is  manifest,  it  alone  is  stationary,  if  not  falling 
behind  in  the  march  of  human  improvements.  The  most  powerful 
of  all  human  agencies,  by  reason  of  its  immense  association  and  the 
facilities  afforded  by  its  multiple  correspondence,  Freemasonry  is 

iThe  editor  of  the  Masonic  World  is  the  only  French  author  who  has 
admitted  that  material  architecture  has  probably  given  birth  to  moral  archi- 
tecture; and  yet,  making  of  Freemasonry  an  Order,  finds  himself  in  accord 
with  all  of  his  predecessors.  This  opinion,  however,  so  generally  that  of 
the  French  Masons,  is  entirely  erroneous;  for  Freemasonry  never  was  an 
Order.  Its  origin  was  a  fraternity;  and  that  its  transformation,  from  a  cor- 
poration of  artisans  to  a  philosophical  institution,  did  not  change  its  char- 
acter, is  proven  in  the  most  incontestible  manner  by  its  own  Constitution, 
which,  adopted  in  1717,  and  published  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  England  in 
1723,  is  entitled  "Constitution  of  the  Ancient  and  Respectable  Fraternity  of 
Freemasons." 


XX  PREFACE. 

to-day  utterly   powerless   to   enlighten   its   own   members,  to  say 
nothing  of  enlightening  the  rest  of  mankind." 

All  the  French  authors,  except  Moreau,  have  placed  the  origin 
of  Freemasonry  in  the  mysteries  of  the  East;  and  the  Masters  of 
our  lodges,  as  well  as  the  commonly  received  lecture  of  its  history, 
tend  to  perpetuate  this  erroneous  idea.  The  work  of  Alexander 
Thory,  entitled  "Acta  Latomorum,"  and  that  of  B.  Clavel,  entitled 
u  Histoire  Pittoresque  de  la  Franc-magonnerie,"  must  be  placed 
among  the  most  remarkable  of  Masonic  publications;  but  they 
are,  nevertheless,  incomplete  and  fragmentary.  In  the  history  by 
B.  Clavel,  it  is  true  he  mentions  the  colleges  of  Roman  architects; 
but,  always  preoccupied,  in  common  with  his  predecessors,  in 
seeking  a  remoter  origin  for  Freemasonry  in  the  mysteries  of  the 
East,  he  fails  to  perceive  that  it  was  precisely  •within  these  colleges 
that  the  birth  of  Freemasonry  took  place. 

The  authors  who  pretend — and  their  number  is  very  great — that 
Masonry  originated  at  the  construction  of  Solomon's  Temple,  are 
led  into  this  error  by  the  numerous  allusions  to  that  construction 
which  have  place  among  the  lectures  of  our  lodges  of  to-day. 
Those  authors  who  believe  that  Freemasonry  proceeded  from  the 
society  of  the  Rose-Cross,  founded  in  1616,  by  Valentine  Andrea, 
a  profound  philosopher,1  who,  in  founding  it,  had  in  view  the 
beautiful  design  of  reforming  the  world — a  society  which  was 
propagated  by  Christian  Rose-Croix,2  renewed  afterward  by  the 
renowned  philosopher,  Lord  Bacon,  and  put  in  practice  by  the 
famous  antiquary,  Elias  Ashmole,  in  1646 — are  led  into  this  error 
by  the  fact  that  this  society  was  resuscitated,  under  Masonic  forms, 


1  See  his  work,  "  La  Reformation,"  etc. 

2  There  appeared,  in  1616,  a  new  work,  entitled  "  La  Noce   Chemique  de 
Christian  Rose-Croix"     This  name  of  Rose-Cross  is  itself  allegorical.     The 
cross  represented  the  sanctity  of  union,  and  the  rose  the  image  of  discretion; 
these  two  words  united  signifying  a  holy  discretion. 


PREFACE. 

in  Germany,  in  1767;  and  yet  others,  who  attribute  its  foundation 
to  the  partisans  of  the  Stuarts,1  or  to  Christopher  Wren,  architect, 
in  1690,  are  led  into  this  error  by  the  transformation  of  Free- 
masonry from  an  exclusively  operative  to  an  exclusively  philo- 
sophic institution  having  taken  place  about  this  time. 

Independently  of  the  serious  authors  mentioned,  there  may  be 
found  a  certain  number  of  pretending  historians,  who,  concerning 
the  origin  of  Freemasonry,  have  advanced  assertions  as  absurd  as 
ridiculous.  Among  them  we  find  those  who  represent  God  him- 
self as  the  first  Freemason,2  and  Paradise  as  the  first  sanctuary 
of  the  lodge!  We  find  another  author  who  pretends  that  the 
archangel  Michael  was  Grand  Master  of  the  first  lodge  that  the 
children  of  Seth  held  after  the  murder  of  Abel!3  Others,  who 
maintain  that  Noah  was  the  founder  of  Masonry ;  and  yet  others, 
who  as  stoutly  assert  that  it  originated  at  the  construction  of  the 
Tower  of  Babel  on  the  plains  of  Shinar.  From  this  mass  of  con- 
tradictory opinions,  A.  Thory,  in  the  preface  to  his  work  already 
named,  deduced  an  opinion  which  he  thus  expresses: 

"  The  general  opinion  among  the  most  distinguished  Freemasons 
is,  that  it  is  impossible  to  write  a  general  history  of  Freemasonry 
which  will  bear  any  approach  to  correctness  in  dates  and  authen- 
ticated facts.  M.  De  Bonnville  has  asserted  that  ten  ages. of  man- 
kind would  not  suffice  for  such  a  work.  Others  have  expressed, 
and  yet  others  have  repeated  the  same  idea,  while  to-day  those  of 

1  See,  in  (he  "Acta  LatomorumJ'  by  A.  Thory,  the  fragment  upon  the  origin 
of  the   Society  of  Freemasons,  translated   from   the  second   volume  of  the 
work  "  Versuch  iiber  die  Beschuldigungen  wider  den  Tempelherrenorden,"  etc.,  by 
Nicolai.     This   fragment  of  a  German  work,   extracted   and  admitted  by 
Thory,  proves  that  he  himself  had  no  settled  opinion  upon  the  origin  of 
Freemasonry,  for  otherwise  we  can  not  comprehend  how,  to  give  a  just  idea 
in  his  work  of  the  origin  of  the  institution,  he  could  have  chosen  to  copy 
from  a  work  which,  in  his  opinion,  had  no  historic  value  in  this  connection. 

2  See  the  work  of  Le  Franc,  entitled  "  Voile  leve  pour  les  Curieux." 
*"Le  vrai  Franc-Mapon,"  by  Enoch,  1773. 


XX11  PREFACE. 

the  members  of  the  association  who,  by  their  talents  and  then 
lights,  could  be  expected  to  undertake  the  task  with  success,  have 
never  essayed  it,  persuaded  that  it  is  beyond  their  strength. 

"  In  seeking  for  the  true  cause  of  such  discouragement,  we 
believe  it  consists  in  the  extreme  difficulty  of  procuring  the 
proper  documents,  the  secret  memoirs,  the  polemic  and  didactic 
writings;  in  fact,  the  necessary  manuscript  and  printed  informa- 
tion as  to  the  history  of  the  institution.  This  obstacle,  if  not 
insurmountable,  is  certainly  exceedingly  difficult;  and  we  are  free 
to  state  that,  were  it  not  that  the  extensive  library  of  the  mother 
lodge  of  the  Scotch  Rite  had,  with  its  rare  and  valuable  manu- 
scripts, been  placed  at  our  disposal,  we  never  would  have  attempted 
the  labor  of  which  this  our  work  is  the  result." 

It  is,  in  fact,  to  the  insufficiency  of  the  materials  that  it  is 
necessary  to  attribute  the  fact  that  since  the  work  of  Dr.  Ander- 
son, first  published  in  London  in  1723,  and  subsequently  to  the 
number  of  five  separate  editions,  no  writer  has  attempted  to  pro- 
duce a  general  history  of  Freemasonry,  believing  the  problem  of 
its  origin  insoluble;  and,  therefore,  they  have  been  forced  to  treat 
it  from  a  philosophical  point  of  view,  and  place  its  origin  among 
the  mysteries  of  antiquity. 

It  is  these  considerations  which  determined  me  to  extract  from 
the  numerous  materials  which  I  have  gathered,  during  a  number 
of  years,  with  the  intention  of  one  day  filling  a  void  in  Masonic 
literature,  and  publish  a  history  of  our  institution  free  from  the 
superstitions  and  traditions  with  which  it  has  been  continually 
surrounded;  and,  in  this  object,  I  have  resolved  to  unite,  in  a 
synoptic  table,  all  that  is  afforded  the  most  interesting,  to  the  end 
that  the  erroneous  opinions  upon  its  origin  may  be  dissipated,  and 
a  just  and  instructive  idea  of  the  principles  and  object  of  Free- 
masonry be  afforded. 

In  treating  in  a  manner  indicative  of  my  own  convictions  this 


PREFACE.  XXlii 

general   ii.'siM^  vi*  Freemasonry,   I  have   endeavored    to   demon- 
strate— 

1.  T1*%N  Invli.i  u  not  only  the  cradle  of  the  human  racs,  but  the 
country  wherein  may  be  found  the  source  of  all  the  religions  of 
the  worM. 

2.  That,  id   hoi    antiquities,  India  offers   us   a  civilization  the 
most   advanced,  aa  ;s  abundantly  proven  by  her   colossal   monu- 
ments, which  hsve  existed  for  at  least  six  thousand  years. 

3.  That  from  Itulia  have  proceeded  science  and  philosophy. 

4.  That  we   fmi\  in  her  sacred  books,   the  Vedas,   a   sublime 
doctrine,  practiced  by  the  Buddhist  Samaneens,  and  which  pre- 
sents the  most   striking   resemblance  to   the  primitive  Christian 
doctrine. 

5.  That  these  same  Vedas  recount  the  creation  of  the  world  in 
a  manner  corresponding  to  the  description  contained  in  the  sacred 
books  of  the  Persians  and  the  Hebrews,  but  with  the  difference 
that  in  the  Vedas  the  description  has  an.  entirely  figurative  sense, 
while  the  sense  conveyed  by  the  Hebrew  Scriptures,  as  given  to 
us,  is  actual. 

6.  That  the  religion  of  the  Hindoos — their  science  and  philos- 
ophy— passed  into  Persia  and  Chaldea,  and  subsequently  to  Ethi- 
opia, and  from  thence  to  Egypt.     Afterward,  returning  invested 
with  other  forms,  it  is  found  to  exist  at  present  in  the  former 
countries. 

My  readers  may  be  assured  that  intentions  the  most  pure  have 
guided  me  in  this  work,  and  that,  while  I  have  communicated 
the  results  of  the  philosophical  researches  of  the  most  profound 
thinkers,  I  have  to  my  readers  awarded  the  task  of  harmonizing 
these  truths"  with  their  own  Masonic  and  religious  ideas. 

In  this  work  I  believe  I  have  omitted  nothing  which  would 
interest  a  young  Mason.  Herein  he  will  find  the  origin  of  the 
mysteries  of  antiquity,  as  also  the  origin  of  all  religions,  and  the 
connections  which  the  ancient  religions  and  mysteries  bear  to 


XXIV  PREFACE. 

those  of  the  present  day;  also,  the  degrees  of  civilization  of  the 
ancient  peoples,  the  true  origin  of  Freemasonry,  its  history,  and 
in  that  history  each  historic  fact,  each  important  monument — 
whether  of  antiquity  or  of  the  middle  ages — which  appertain  to 
that  history,  each  document,  each  usage,  each  important  name  of 
which  mention  should  be  made;  and,  having  done  this,  I  leave  to 
tho  reader  to  judge  of  the  actual  condition  and  importance  of  this 
institution  from  the  tables  of  the  lodges  existing  on  the  globe, 
and  the  countries  wherein  Freemasonry  has  spread  and  its  doc- 
trines are  practiced. 

EMMANUEL  REBOLD. 
EAST  OF  PARIS,  November,  1860. 


REPORT 

OF  THE  COMMITTEE  INTRUSTED  WITH  THE  EXAMINATION 
OF  THE  WORK  OF  BRO.  REBOLD,  ENTITLED  "GEN- 
ERAL HISTORY  OF  FREEMASONRY." 


BRO.  REBOLD  having  requested  the  undersigned  to  examine  his 
History  of  Freemasonry,  and  report  their  opinion  thereof,  it  is 
with  the  most  lively  interest  that  we  comply  with  his  wishes. 

In  our  opinion  it  is  impossible  to  put  together,  in  a  manner 
more  instructive  and  more  concise,  so  many  facts  and  dates  in  so 
few  pages.  All  is  comprised  in  the  work  of  Bro.  Rebold — facts, 
historical  and  geographical,  as  well  as  chronological ;  all  is  arranged 
by  the  hand  of  a  master;  and  we  can,  without  exaggeration,  say 
that  it  is  the  first  Masonic  history  truly  worthy  of  this  name  which 
has  ever  appeared  in  France. 

All  the  works  that  we  possess  speak  of  Masonry  as  an  institu- 
tion of  an  illusory  character,  and  its  origin  merely  traditional,  if 
not  apocryphal;  but  Bro.  Rebold,  on  the  contrary,  taking  hold 
of  it  at  its  birth,  follows  its  growth  and  extension  through  the 
different  phases  of  its  career,  from  nation  to  nation,  and  from  cen- 
tury to  century,  and  supports  his  every  statement  with  facts  and 
dates  and  names,  and  the  edifices  and  monuments  of  antiquity. 

Many  pages  might  be  profitably  filled  with  even  a  cursory 
analysis  of  the  work  of  our  brother,  but  this  we  will  leave  to  the 
reader,  being  satisfied  with  saying,  for  ourselves,  that  nearly  every 
line  is  the  substance  of  a  volume;  every  word  carries  with  it  a 
portion  of  instruction.  We  have  read  and  re-read  the  manuscript 
with  the  most  intense  interest,  and  we  can  return  to  it  again  and 
again  with  pleasure,  for  it  nobly  fills  the  deplorable  vacuum  that 
exists  in  all  of  our  Masonic  libraries. 

An  immense  success  is  reserved  for  this  book — we  had  almost 

(25) 


26  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF    FREEMASONRY. 

said  this  library  in  epitome — a  success  enthusiastic,  merited,  and 
durable.  To  every  brother  who,  animated  with  true  religious  sen- 
timents, seeks  instruction  at  the  source  of  the  most  solid  informa- 
tion, we  recommend  this  work;  and,  after  the  most  conscientious 
examination — a^ter  the  most  attentive  study,  and  with  our  hands, 
as  Freemasons,  upon  our  hearts,  we  express  this  our  opinion  of 
the  work  of  Bro.  Rebold;  and  regret  our  inability,  by  so  limited 
an  expression  of  our  feelings,  to  do  that  justice  to  this  really  merit- 
orious production  that  it  is  so  richly  entitled  to. 

DTJ  PLANTY,  M.  D., 

Wor.  Mas.  of  Trinity  Lodge. 
AUGUSTE    HUMBERTE, 
Wor.  Mas.  Star  of  Bethlehem  Lodge. 

B.    LlMETH, 
Wor.  Mas.  of  Commanders  of  Mt.  Lebanon  Lodge. 

EAST  OP  PAHIS,  June,  27   1860. 


HISTORY  OF  FREEMASONRY. 


INTRODUCTION. 

man,  placed  upon  this  earth,  saw  himself  sur- 
rounded with  so  many  differently  formed  beings,  of  which 
the  producing  cause  and  motive  for  their  existence  were 
to  him  unknown,  his  thoughts  were  necessarily  concen- 
trated in  one  sentiment — intense  admiration.  Unable  to 
comprehend  the  cause,  he  attached  more  importance  to 
the  effect.  He  studied  the  physical  qualities  of  all,  to  the 
end  that  he  might  be  enabled  to  select  for  his  use  those 
which  were  useful,  and  reject  those  which  were  hurtful. 

But  that  which  struck  him  with  most  surprise  was  the 
constant  return  of  day  and  night,  light  and  darkness — the 
brilliance  and  warmth  of  summer,  and  the  cold  and  gloom 
of  winter — to  see  the  earth  for  a  season  ornamented  with 
flowers  and  fruits,  whilst  during  a  corresponding  period  it 
languished  and  labored  in  sterility.  He  sought  to  ascer- 
tain the  cause  of  those  phenomena  which  regularly  repro- 
duced themselves  around  him,  and  to  whose  influence  he 
found  his  own  nature  subjected;  and  little  by  little,  in  the 
laws,  first  of  physics,  and  next  of  astronomy,  he  discov- 
ered the  explanation. 

He  saw  that,  regulated  by  these  laws,  nature  existed; 
that  the  sun  and  moon  and  earth  moved  in  common 
accord.  In  fact,  whilst  all  else  lived  and  died  around 

(27) 


28  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

him — and  died  forever — these  alone  abated  not  in  the 
regularity  of  their  movements  nor  perpetuity  of  their 
existence:  without  beginning,  and,  apparently,  without 
end,  they  seemed  uncreated  and  immutable.  To  feelings, 
therefore,  of  admiration  for  all,  were  added  feelings  of 
gratitude  and  thanks  for  the  beneficence  of  that  star  of 
lay  whose  brilliance  and  heat  ripened  for  his  use  fruits 
and  vegetables;  for  that  lesser  light  which  seemed  ar- 
ranged, when  the  greater  disappeared,  to  take  its  place; 
and  for  the  earth,  the  great  nurse,  always  attentive,  sup- 
porting all  living  creatures,  and  offering  each  year,  for 
their  use,  the  abundance  of  her  varied  and  bounteous 
products. 

Those  sentiments  of  admiration  and  gratitude  begot  yet 
another — their  natural  product — worship  ;  and  from  that 
time  man  began  to  reverence  good  and  evil.  He  made 
of  light  and  darkness  spirits  of  good  and  spirits  of  evil, 
regarding  the  former  as  the  good  being,  and  the  latter 
as  the  evil  one;  light  the  benefactor;  darkness  the  de- 
stroyer. And  this  worship  of  light  of  every  degree  neces- 
sarily led  to  sun  worship  or  Sabeism,  which  we  see  diffused 
among  all  the  primitive  peoples  of  the  earth — as  well  in 
Europe  as  in  Asia,  in  Africa,  and  among  the  Incas  of 
America. 

It  is  thus  that  the  Hindoos  adored  in  Brahma  the  sun 
of  summer,  the  creator,  the  genius  of  good;  and  in  Shiva 
the  sun  of  winter,  the  destroyer,  the  genius  of  evil;  that 
the  Persians  reverenced  the  good  principle  in  Oromaze, 
and  the  bad  in  Ahrimane;  that  the  Egyptians  adored 
these  same  principles  in  Osiris  and  Typhon ;  and  the 
Israelites  in  Jehovah  and  the  Serpent,  without  stopping 
to  consider  that  this  adoration  was  a  worship  of  stars,  or 
a  worship  of  the  changes  of  nature.  Every-where,  in 
fact,  and  among  all  peoples — even  among  the  Jews  them- 
selves— \ve  find,  from  the  earliest  times,  man  prostrated 


INTRODUCTION.  29 

before  material  nature,  confounding  continually,  in  one 
and  the  same  worship,  the  being  who  suffers  the  action 
and  the  principle  that  caused  it. 

This  primitive  worship  was  not  entirely  abolished,  but 
maintained  itself  among  the  elect,  and  was,  consequently, 
the  fundamental  dogma  taught  in  the  mysteries  of  an 
tiqnity  by  the  gymnosophists  of  India  and  the  hierophant 
of  Memphis.  And,  as  it  was  the  duty  of  those  sages  to 
notice  and  record  natural  phenomena,  to  the  end  that  the 
dates  of  feasts  and  the  movements  of  the  planets  should 
be  known,  as  well  as  a  record  kept  of  memorable  events, 
and  the  knowledge  of  their  doctrines,  sciences,  and  dis- 
coveries be  communicated  among  themselves,  the  system 
of  hieroglyphics  and  symbols  was  invented — a  system 
which  has  been  found  to  exist,  as  the  earliest  style  of 
record,  among  priests  and  peoples  of  the  most  remote 


These  priests  were  the  intercessors  before  the  divinities, 
the  counselors  and  guides  of  the  people;  and  to  perpetu- 
ate their  numbers,  men  were  admitted  who  proved  them- 
selves capable  and  worthy  of  the  position  by  submitting, 
after  a  long  and  careful  training,  to  the  ordeal  of  a  severe 
examination.  It  was  in  this  manner  that  the  initiations, 
so  celebrated  among  the  peoples  of  antiquity,  were  insti- 
tuted. 

These   civilizers   and   early  instructors   of  the   human 
race,  believing  that  it  was  impossible  for  the  mass  of  man- 
kind— the  ignorant  and  illiterate — to  perceive  the  truths 
of  science,  religion,  and  philosophy,  except  when  repre-" 
sented  by  material  symbols,  instituted  such   symbols  for 
that  purpose,  and,  in  consequence,  two  forms  of  religion 
began  to  prevail;  viz.:  the  one  the  religion  of  the  multi 
tude,  who,  in  great  numbers,  perceived   nothing  beyond 
the  exterior  object  or  symbol;  and  the  other  the  religion 
of  the   learned,  who  perceived   in   the   symbol   but   the 


30  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

emblem  of  the  moral  truth  or  natural  effect,  of  which  the 
symbol  was  but  the  type. 

All  these  mysteries  and  their  initiations,  having  a  common 
object,  resembled  each  other  in  their  rites  and  symbols, 
and  differed  but  in  degree,  according  to  the  genius  and 
manners  of  the  particular  peoples  among  whom  they  were 
practiced,  and  the  talents,  more  or  less  brilliant,  of  their 
priests  and  founders.  Those  among  the  Chaldeans,  the 
Ethiopians,  and  the  Egyptians  taught  the  arts  and  sci- 
ences in  secret,  particularly  architecture.  Among  the 
Egyptians  the  priests  formed  a  distinct  class,  and  devoted 
themselves  to  teaching  special  branches  of  human  knowl- 
edge. The  youth  who  by  them  were  instructed  were 
initiated  into  the  mysteries  of  religion,  and  during  their 
novitiate  formed  an  outer  class  or  corporation  of  arti- 
sans, who,  according  to  the  designs  drawn  by  the  priestsr 
erected  the  temples  and  other  monuments  consecrated  to 
the  worship  of  the  gods.  It  was  this  class  that  gave 
to  the  people  kings,  warriors,  statesmen,  and  useful  citi- 
zens. 

The  favor  shown  to  the  priests  by  the  people  of  Egypt 
was  due  in  part  to  their  wisdom,  in  part  to  the  elevated 
conditions  of  science  and  morality  which  they  taught, 
but  more  particularly  to  their  study  and  application  of  an 
occult  science  practiced  by  the  magicians  of  Persia.  In 
this  study  they  were  aided  by  a  class  of  assistants,  called 
sybils  or  oracles,  to  whom  they  were  indebted  for  the 
knowledge  of  a  great  number  of  plants  and  their  thera- 
peutic properties — of  which  the  priests  affixed  the  names 
at  the  gates  of  their  temples — as,  also,  for  their  knowl- 
edge of  chemistry,  anatomy,  and  many  of  the  secrets  of 
nature.1 

1This  occult  science,  designated  by  the  ancient  priests  under  the  name 
of  regenerating  fire,  is  that  which  at  the  present  day  is  known  as  animal 
magnetism — a  science  that  for  more  than  three  thousand  years  was  the 
peculiar  possession  of  the  priesthood,  into  the  knowledge  of  which  Moses 


INTRODUCTION.  51 

Thus  we  see  the  most  illustrious  men  of  Greece — Thales, 
Solon,  Pythagoras,  Democritus,  Orpheus,  Plato,  Theodo- 
sius,  Epicurus,  Herodotus,  Lycurgus — these  great  philos- 
ophers of  antiquity,  binding  their  stoutest  sandals  upon 

was  initiated  at  Heliopolis,  where  he  was  educated,  and  Jesus  Christ 
among  the  Essenian  priests  of  Jerusalem. 

This  science,  that  an  illustrious  Dominican  calls  "a  piece  broken  from 
a  grand  palace,  a  ray  from  the  Adamic  power,  destined  to  confound 
human  reason  and  to  humiliate  it  before  God,  a  phenomenon  belonging 
to  the  prophetic  order" — is  that  same  science  which  lias  been  resusci- 
tated by  Bro.  Mesmer,  whose  disciples  to-day  spread  every-where,  and,  by 
the  application  of  it  as  a  therapeutic  agent,  are  every-where  alleviating 
the  physical  condition  of  the  sick  and  the  afflicted. 

Magnetism,  the  vital  principle  of  all  organized  beings,  soul  of  all  who 
respire,  made  a  part,  under  various  names,  of  the  secret  teachings  of  the 
priests.  The  titles  of  regenerating  fire,  living  fire,  magic,  were  given  to 
it  by  them,  and  the  initiation  into  this  divine  science  was  participated 
in  but  by  a  small  number  of  the  elect  Believing  it  to  be  our  duty  to 
define  the  meaning  of  this  science  in  as  clear  and  distinct  a  manner  as 
possible,  we  have  chosen  for  this  purpose  to  select  a  passage  that  we  find 
in  the  work  of  our  friend  and  brother  Henry  Delage,  entitled  "Perfec- 
tion of  the  Human  Race,"  in  which  he  expresses  himself  upon  this 
subject  as  follows: 

"The  knowledge  of  this  magnetic  fluid  is  the  most  precious  gift  of 
Divine  Providence.  It  is  the  mysterious  key  that  opens  to  our  dazzled 
intelligence  the  world  of  truth  and  of  light,  and  joins  the  finite  to  the 
infinite.  It  is  the  chain  of  gold  so  often  chanted  by  the  poet,  the  basis 
of  that  secret  philosophy  that  Democritus,  Plato,  and  Pythagoras  trav- 
eled to  Egypt  to  demand  of  the  hierophants  of  Memphis  and  of  the 
gymnosophists  of  India.  Invisible  to  the  eyes  of  the  senses,  it  must  be 
studied  by  the  vision  of  the  soul  as  seen  in  the  rapt  gaze  of  the  som- 
nambulist In  other  days  the  truth  was  heard  proceeding  from  the  lips 
of  the  initiating  priest;  to-day  we  see  it  in  the  eyes  of  the  clairvoyant. 
A  magnetic  fluid,  very  subtle,  placed  in  the  human  race  between  the  soul 
and  the  body,  it  circulates  in  all  the  nerves;  and,  particularly  abundan 
in  the  great  sympathetic  of  the  healthy  subject,  it  constitutes  the  spin 
of  the  living  being.  Its  color,  that  of  fire  or  the  electric  spark,  induced 
the  name  of  living  fire  given  to  it  in  the  works  of  the  magicians  of 
Persia,  and  of  intimate  star  in  those  of  the  alchymists  and  astrologers  of 


32  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

their  feet,  and  taking  the  pilgrim's  staff  within  their 
hands,  leaving  their  country  and  going  forth  to  visit  the 
vast  sanctuaries  of  Egypt,  there  to  be  initiated  into  the 
mysteries  of  Isis  and  Osiris. 

These  mysteries  were  transported  into  Greece,  where 
Orpheus  founded  those  of  Samothracia,  and  Triptoieme 
those  of  Eleusis.  The  Greeks  drew  upon  these  mysteries 
and  initiations  for  a  part  of  their  mythology.  Homer 
drew  upon  them  for  his  ingenious  fictions,  and  clothed  his 
songs  with  their  allegories.  The  descent  into  a  well,  made 
by  the  aspirant  for  initiation,  led  to  the  saying  that  truth 
was  concealed  at  the  bottom  of  a  well.  The  judges  of  the 
dead,  before  whom  they  were  conducted  by  the  ferryman 
Charon  across  the  lake  Acheron,  the  urn  that  contained 
the  ballots,  and  after  an  examination  of  which  the  judges 
pronounced  sentence  and  again  intrusted  the  initiates  to 
the  care  of  Charon,  who  alone  appeared  to  have  the  right 
or  ability  of  traversing  the  subterranean  obscurity  through 
which  they  passed,  the  barking  of  dogs,  the  monsters,  the 
hideous  specters,  the  flitting  shades,  the  furies,  the  dog 
Cerberus — the  sight  of  all  those  objects  which  the  Egyp- 
tians and  the  Greeks  had  invented  to  try  the  nerves  of 
the  initiates — made  in  their  imagination  a  real  hell.  While 
the  Elysian  fields,  lighted  up  by  a  mimic  sun,  was  evi- 
dently the  place  to  which  the  initiate  was  conducted  after 
his  initiation;  and  Tartarus,  where  shades  groaned  plain- 
tively at  their  own  feebleness,  the  place  where  those  who 
had  succumbed  in  terror  before  these  hideous  spectacles 
were  congregated.  The  braziers  and  flames,  between 
which  the  initiate  was  compelled  to  pass,  evidently  gave 

® 

the  middle  ages.  One  of  its  principal  virtues  is  the  generative  power; 
nence  the  sacred  books  give  it  the  name  of  regenerating  fire.  Soul  of 
the  world,  universal  spirit  permeating  all  nature,  it  is  the  essence  and 
the  vital  spark  of  all  that  it  animates,  of  all  orders  of  beings,  classes, 
and  races  in  which  it  is  incarnated,  and  is  profoundly  modified  by  all 
through  which  it  passes." 


INTRODUCTION.  33 

rise  to  the  saying  that  men  who  would  be  elevated  to 
the  rank  of  the  gods  must  first  pass  through  fire  and  be 
purified  of  all  of  earth  that  attaches  to  humanity.  In 
tine,  to  descend  into  hell,  and  to  be  initiated  into  the  mys- 
teries, were,  among  the  ancients,  one  and  the  same  opera- 
tion. 


FOUNDATION  OF  THE  COLLEGES  OF  BUILDERS, 

THE   CRADLE   OF   FREEMASONRY. 


THE  mysteries  of  the  Egyptians,  passing  through  Moses 
to  the  Jewish  people,  afterward  disseminated  among  the 
Greeks  and  the  Romans,  were,  among  the  latter,  intro- 
duced in  part  into  the  .Colleges  of  Builders,  instituted  by 
]S[uma  Pompilius,  in  the  year  715  before  our  era.1 

These  colleges  were,  at  their  organization,  as  well  relig- 
ious societies  as  fraternities  of  artisans,  and  their  connec- 
tion with  the  state  and  the  priesthood  were  by  the  laws 
determined  with  precision.  They  had  their  own  worship 
and  their  own  organization,  based  upon  that  of  the  Dyo- 
nisian  priests  and  architects,  of  whom  many  were  fcT  be 
found  anterior  to  this  period  in  Syria,  in  Egypt,  in  Persia, 
and  in  India ;  and  the  degree  of  sublimity  to  which  they 
had  carried  their  art  is  revealed  to  us  by  the  ruins  which 
yet  exist  of  the  monuments  which  they  there  erected. 
'Besides  the  exclusive  privilege  of  constructing  the  temples 
and  public  monuments,  they  had  a  judiciary  of  their  own, 
and  were  made  free  of  all  contributions  to  the  city  and  state. 

The  members  of  these  colleges,  usually  after  the  labors 
of  the  day,  convened  in  their  respective  lodges — wooden 
houses,  temporarily  erected  near  the  edifice  in  course  of 
construction — where  they  determined  the  distribution  and 

1Numa  Pompilius  also  instituted  Colleges  of  Artisans  (Collegia  Artifi- 
cum)  to  the  number  of  one  hundred  and  thirty-one;  at  the  head  of  which 
were  the  Colleges  of  Architects  or  Constructors,  otherwise  Builders  (Col- 
legia Fabrorum.)  The  latter  were  designated  under  the  name  of  Frater- 
nities (Fraternitates.) 
(34) 


FOUNDATION   OF   THE   COLLEGES   OF   BUILDERS.  35 

execution  of  the  work  upon  such  edifice,  the  decisions 
being  made  by  a  majority J>f_votes.  Here,  also,  were  ini- 
tiated the  new  memBers  into  the  jsecrets  and  particular 
mysteries  of  their  art.  These  initiates  were  divided  into 
three  classes :  apprentices,  companions  or  fellow- workmen, 
and  masters;  and  they  engaged  themselves  by  oath  to 
afford  Ijach  other  succor  and  assistance.  The  presidents 
of  those  colleges,  elected  for  five  years,  were  named  mas- 
ters  or  teachers  (magistri);  their  labors  in  their  lodges 
were  always  preceded  by  religious  ceremonies,  and,  as  the 
membership  was  composed  of  men  of  all  countries,  and 
consequently  of  different  beliefs,  the  Supreme  Being  neces- 
sarily had  to  be  represented  in  the  lodges  under  a  general 
title,  and  therefore  was  styled  "The  Grand  Architect  of 
the  Universe" — the  universe  being  considered  the  most 
perfect  work  of  a  master  builder. 

In  the  beginning  the  initiations  into  these  corporations 
appear  to  have  been  confined  to  but  two  degrees,  and  the 
ritual  of  these  degrees  limited  to,  1st,  some  religious  cere- 
monies ;  2d,  imparting  to  the  initiate  a  knowledge  of  the 
duties  and  obligations  imposed  upon  him ;  3d,  to  explain- 
ing certain  symbols,  the  signs  of  recognition,  and  the 
inviolability  of  the  oath :  the  workman  or  fellow-craft 
Deing,  in  addition,  carefully  instructed  in  the  use  of  the 
level  and  the  square,  the  mallet  and  chisel.  To  become  a 
master,  the  elected  had  to  submit  to  proofs  such  as  were 
exacted  at  the  initiation  of  the  priest  architects  of  Egypt, 
and  in  which  he  underwent  a  searching  examination  of 
his  knowledge  of  art  and  moral  principles. 

By  the  protection  that  these  colleges  of  builders  ac- 
corded to  the  institutions  and  worships  of  other  countries, 
there  were  developed  among  them  doctrines  and  rules  of 
conduct  very  much  in  advance  of  their  age,  and  which  they 
clothed  in  symbols  and  emblems,  which  were  thus  charged 
with  a  double  signification ;  and,  like  the  Dyonisian  priest 
architects,  they  had  words  and  signs  of  recognition. 


36  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

These  colleges  of  artisans,  and  principally  those  who 
professed  excellence  in  ability  to  execute  civil  and  relig- 
ious, naval  and  hydraulic  architecture,  at  first  extended 
from  Rome  into  Venice  and  Lombardy,  afterward  into 
France,  Belgium,  Switzerland,  and  Britain;  and  more  lately 
into  Spain,  Arabia,  and  the  East;  and  a  great  number  of 
these  colleges,  which  at  this  time  were  known  by  the 
name  of  Fraternities,  followed  the  Roman  legions.  Their 
business  was  to  trace  the  plans  of  all  military  construc- 
tions, such  as  intrenched  camps,  strategic  routes,  bridges, 
aqueducts,  arches  of  triumph,  etc.  They  also  directed  the 
soldiers  and  the  laborers  in  the  material  execution  of  their 
works.  Composed  of  artisans,  educated  and  studious  men, 
these  corporations  extended  the  knowledge  of  Roman 
manners  and  a  taste  for  Roman  art  wherever  the  legions 
carried  victorious  the  Roman  arms.  And  as,  in  this  way, 
they  contributed  more  largely  to  the  victories  of  peace 
than  to  those  of  war,  they  carried  to  the  vanquished  and 
to  the  oppressed  the  pacific  element  of  the  Roman  power — 
the  arts  and  civil  law. 

These  colleges  existed,  in  all  their  vigor,  almost  to  the 
fall  of  the  Roman  empire.  The  irruption  of  the  peoples 
called  barbarians  dispersed  and  reduced  their  number,  and 
they  continued  to  decline  while  those  ignorant  and  fero- 
cious men  continued  to  worship  their  rude  gods;  but  when 
they  were  converted  to  Christianity,  the  corporations  flour- 
ished anew. 


THE  MASONIC  CORPORATIONS  IN  BRITAIN. 

MANY  of  the  corporations  of  builders  who  were  with  the 
Roman  legions  in  the  countries  bordering  on  the  Rhine 
were  sent  by  the  Emperor  Claude,  in  the  year  43,  into  the 
British  Isles,  to  protect  the  Romans  against  the  incursions 
of  the  Scots.  Before  their  arrival  in  that  country,  there 


THE    MASONIC   CORPORATIONS   IN    BRITAIN.  37 

were  to  be  found  neither  towns  nor  villages.  Here,  as 
elsewhere,  the  Masonic  corporations  constructed  for  the 
legions  camps,  which  they  surrounded  with  walls  and 
fortifications;  and,  as  time  advanced,  the  interior  of  these 
colonies  was  beautified  with  baths,  bridges,  temples,  and 
palaces,  Avhich,  in  a  great  degree,  rivaled  even  those  of 
Rome  herself. 

Wherever  the  legions  established  intrenched  camps,  the 
Masonic  corporations  erected  cities  more  or  less  import- 
ant. It  is  thus  that  ^Tnrk,  called  by  the  Romans  Ebora- 
cum,  and  subsequently  celebrated  in  the  history  of  Free- 
masonry, became  one  of  the  first  that  acquired  importance 
and  elevation  to  the  rank  of  a  Roman  city. 

The  native  population  who  aided  the  Romans  in  those 
different  constructions  were  incorporated  into  the  opera- 
tive bodies  of  workmen,  and  taught  their  art;  and,  in 
a  short  time,  towns  and  villages  were  in  course  of  erec- 
tion on  every  side.  The  rich  inhabitants  of  the  country, 
imitating  the  Romans,  constructed  equally  sumptuous 
habitations,  which  the  architects  ornamented  with  -the 
same  sentiments  of  art  they  had  exhibited  on  the  temples 
of  the  most  powerful  Romans.  Daily  in  contact  with  the 
most  elevated  people  of  the  civilized  world,  the  inhabit- 
ants acquired  a  humanitarian  tolerance  for  the  manners  of 
foreigners,  and  for  religious  ideas  so  different  from  their 
own.  And,  in  their  turn,  the  Romans  discovered  that 
there  existed  in  every  people  a  portion  of  true  humanity; 
and  this  they  sought  to  increase  rather  than  unveil  the 
barbaric  and  disagreeable  in  local  manners  and  national 
prejudices. 

The  irruptions  of  the  mountaineers  of  Scotland  obliged 
the  Romans  to  e_rec_t  on  the  north  of  Britain  three  im- 
mense walls,  in  three  different  directions,1  one  of  which 
traversed  the  country  from  the  east  to  the  west. 

lThe  first  great  wall  was  constructed  by  the  Masonic  Corporations, 


38  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

The  corporations  being  inadequate  for  the  construction 
of  such  immense  works,  the  Britons,  who  were  devoted  to 
their  service,  aided  them  in  their  labors,  and  thus  became 
partakers  of  all  the  advantages  and  privileges  which  were 
enjoyed  by  the  corporations  themselves.  Their  constant 
intercourse,  during  the  execution  of  the  same  construc- 
tions, and  particularly  in  foreign  countries,  always  resulted 
in  individual  advantage,  and  the  enjoyment  in  common  of 
the  same  privileges  cemented  this  intercourse.  The  same 
art,  the  unity  in  plans  of  action,  combined  to  create  in 
their  intimacy  the  greatest  tolerance  for  religious  and 
national  peculiarities,  and  a  feeling  of  common  brother- 
hood was  thus  developed  among  them.  All  the  work- 
men of  every  degree  employed  upon  a  construction  called 
themselves  a  lodge — sleeping  and  taking  their  meals  in 
buildings  resembling  tents,  which  were  temporarily  erected 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  work  in  course  of  construction,  and 
which  served  them  as  dwellings  until  its  completion  only. 

The  erection  of  these  houses  and  palaces,  bridges  and 
aqueducts,  castles  and  walls,  contributed  to  elevate  archi- 
tecture in  Britain  to  a  degree  of  perfection  it  had  not 
attained  in  any  other  Roman  province;  so  that,  as  early 
as  the  third  century,  this  country  was  celebrated  for  the 
great  number  and  the  knowledge  of  her  architects  and 
of  their  workmen;  and  their  services  were  called  for 
wherever,  upon  the  continent,  great  constructions  were 
about  to  be  erected.  Christianity,  too,  from  the  first  hour 
of  its  introduction,  spread  in  Britain,  and  gave  to  the 
Masonic  lodges  the  peculiar  characteristics  which  distin- 
guished them  at  this  period.  These  same  military  roads, 

under  the  orders  of  Agrippa,  the  Roman  general  in  command  of  the 
legions  in  Britain,  in  the  year  90  of  our  era.  The  second  under  the 
Emperor  Adrian,  A.  D.  120.  This  crossed  the  country  from  the  river 
Tyne  to  the  Gulf  of  Solway,  and  thus  traversed  Britain  from  east  to 
west  And  the  third  was  constructed  further  north,  by  order  of  Septi- 
mus Severus,  in  the  year  207. 


THE   MASONIC   CORPORATIONS   IN   BRITAIN.  39 

so  immense  in  their  extent,  and  upon  which  chains  and 
slavery  had  heen  carried  to  people  as  free  as  they  were 
ignorant,  served  now  to  carry  to  enslaved  humanity,  wea- 
ried of  life,  that  new  and  inspiring  liberty  preached  by 
Christ.  Men  now  traveled  these  roads  who,  filled  with 
£Ke  new  faith,  believed  it  to  be  their  mission  to  impart  to 
11  whom  they  met  or  overtook  in  their  journey  ings  a 
knowledge  of  the  true  God  and  the  gospel  of  his  Son. 
And  although,  when,  alone,  these  missionary  converts  were 
exposed  to  bloody  persecutions  in  the  towns  and  villages 
through  which  they  passed,  they  were  invariably  per- 
mitted to  accompany  unmolested  the  Masonic  corpora- 
tions, who  now,  sometimes  alone  and  sometimes  in  the 
retinue  of  the  Roman  legions,  were  continually  threading 
the  immense  empire. 

Britain,  too,  by  a  favorable  fortune,  had  more  kind  and 
humane  governors  at  this  period  than  any  other  Roman 
province.  The  example  of  the  nobility,  in  becoming  con- 
verts to  the  new  faith,  was  swiftly  followed  by  the  people. 
If,  in  consequence,  in  the  other  provinces,  the  persecutions 
of  the  Christians  were,  by  order  of  the  emperors,  executed 
with  rigor  the  most  appalling,  in  Britain  a  certain  refuge 
was  offered  to  the  persecuted,  by  the  connivance  of  her 
governors,  among  the  building  corporations.  Hence  it  was 
that  many  among  those  who  became  advocates  and  public 
propagandists  of  the  gospel,  for  the  certain  protection 
afforded  them  by  these  corporations,  sought  for  and  ob- 
tained admission  among  those  fraternities  of  builders;  and 
thus,  in  the  hearts  of  the  lodges,  they  associated  with  aud- 
itors more  freely  disposed  to  listen  to  their  doctrines,  at 
once  so  humane  and  so  pure ;  for  that  love  of  the  human 
race  which  characterized  the  primitive  Christians  entirely 
accorded  with  the  spirit  of  those  cultivated  workmen  who 
composed  the  Masonic  corporations.  When,  therefore,  a 
humane  governor  shrank  from  the  disagreeable  function 
of  ordering  the  execution  of  Christians  under  imperial 


40  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

decree,  those  who  were  thus  menaced  sought  refuge  among 
the  Scots,  or  in  the  Orkney  Islands;  or,  aided  j)yjhe_build- 
ers  who  accompanied  them,  they  fled  to  Ireland,  and  there 
remained  until  the  death  of  the  emperor  who  had  ordered 
their  execution. 

In  this  manner  Scotland  became  the  most  accessible 
esort  of  these  refugees,  who,  in  return  for  the  security 
awarded  them,  carried  into  that  country  a  knowledge  of 
Roman  architecture ;  and  from  this  period  may  be  dated 
the  construction  of  those  magnificent  castles  of  the  Ro- 
manesque or  Etruscan  style  of  architecture,  whose  grand 
remains,  braving  even  until  to-day  the  destructive  hand 
of  time,  attest  the  architectural  knowledge  and  artistic 
genius  of  their  builders. 

When  Carausius,  as  commander  of  the  Roman  navy, 
found  himself  upon  the  coast  of  Belgium,  he  revolted, 
and,  making  sail  for  Britain,  landed  on  that  island  irfthe 
year  287,  when  he  declared  his  independence  of  Rome  and 
took  the  title  of  emperor;  but,  ever  fearful  of  an  attack 
by  the  Emperor  Maximilian,  whom  Diocletian  had  chosen 
for  co-emperor,  and  to  whom  he  had  awarded  the  west- 
ern empire,  Carausius  sought,  above  all,  to  conciliate  that 
society — then  the  most  influential  and  important  in  the 
island — the  Masonic  corporations.  These  were  then  com- 
posed not  alone  of  the  descendants  of  those  Greeks  and 
Romans  whom  the  Emperor  Claude  had,  in  the  year  43, 
ordered  into  the  country,  as  already  mentioned,  but,  in 
major  part,  of  the  natives  of  Britain. 

With  this  object  in  view,  Carausius,  at  the  ancient  city 
of  Yerulam,  afterward  known  as  St.  Albans,  where  he  had 
taken  up  his  abode  and  established  his  court,  conveyed 
and  confirmed  to  the  Masonic  corporations — through  the 
instrumentality  of  Albanus,  a  Roman  knight,  and  Amphi- 
abulus,  a  Roman  architect — all  those  ancient  privileges 
accorded  to  them  by  Numa  Pompilius,  and  the  kings,  his 
successors,  more  than  a  thousand  years  before,  but  which 


THE   MASONIC    CORPORATIONS    IN   BRITAIN.  41 

in  later  years  had  been  greatly  curtailed  by  lli 


Roman  emperors.  And  it  is  to  tmsTenewal  of  those  privi- 
leges —  the  greatest  among  which  was  the  right  of  making 
laws  for  their..mvji_governnient,  and  thus,  in  establishing 
their  own  judiciary,  becoming  independent  of  all  other 
legal  tribunals  —  to  which  may  be  attributed  the  title  Free- 
masoh,  which,  since  that  time,  has  distinguished  the  mem- 
bers of  these  corporations  in  contradistinction  to  the  other 
workers  in  wood  and  stone  who  composed  no  part  of  such 
bodies. 

Not  having  been  interfered  with  by  the  Emperor  Maxi- 
milian, Carausius  employed  all  his  wealth  to  augment  the 
well-being  of  the  country.  He  engaged  the  Masonic  cor- 
porations in  the  erection  of  magnificent  public  edifices, 
which  were  rivaled  but  by  those  of  Rome  herself.  His 
death,  however,  which  occurred  by  assassination,  in  the 
year  295,  brought  these  plans  to  an  abrupt  close. 

Immediately  after  the  death  of  Carausius,  Maximilian 
appointed  Constance  Clorus  to  the  vacant  governorship  of 
Gaul  and  Britain.  He,  selecting  Eboracum,  subsequently 
known  as  the  city  of  York,  for  his  residence,  found  there 
the  oldest  and  most  influential  lodges  of  the  Masonic  cor- 
porations; and  this  city,  from  that  time,  became  the  center 
of  all  the  lodges  of  Freemasons  in  Britain. 

After  the  death  of  Constance,  called  the  Great,  an  event 
that  took  place~iirtlie  year  306,  his  son  Constantine  suc- 
ceeded him.  He  stopped  at  once  the  persecution  of  the 
Christians,  and  declared  himself  their  protector.  After 
his  victory  over  his  rival,  Licinius,  he  adopted  Christianity 
himself  —  more,  it  is  believed,  from  political  motives  than 
from  a  conviction  of  its  truth  —  and  declared  it  the  religion 
of  the  state. 

Among  the  earliest  Christian  communities  the  true  doc- 
trines of  Christ  were,  from  the  first,  exhibited  in  the  lives 
of  their  members  —  the  first  apostles  having  been  found 
in  Britain  among  the  Masonic  corporations.  These  truo 


42  GENERAL   HISTORY    OF    FREEMASONRY. 

priests  and  propagandists  of  the  religion  of  Jesus  were 
entire  strangers  to  all  thought  of  temporal  power;  and  the 
unfortunate  disputes  of  the  four  bishops  who  had  arro- 
gated to  themselves  the  government  of  all  Christendom 
had  not,  as  yet,  affected  the  primitive  doctrine  recognized 
in  that  declaration  of  the  Redeemer:  "He  who  servegjjie 
with  most  devotion  upon  earth  shall  be  greatest  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven."  The  confiding  and  susceptible  spirit 
of  the  artist  easily  became  impressed  with  the  beauties  of 
that  morality  which  embraced  humanity  as  a  whole.  The 
sentiments  of  art  with  which  his  soul  was  imbued  repulsed 
all  sophism,  and  the  social  life  of  the  lodges  resembled 
(the  earliest  Christian  associations,  with  this  exception, 
jthat,  instead  of  that  contemplative  idleness  that  saw  no 
|religious  labor  save  in  fasting  and  prayer,  was  exercised  a 
robust  and  manly  energy  that  found,  in  the  acquirement 
of  useful  knowledge  and  the  engagement  in  actual  labor, 
a  fitting  outlet  for  that  love  of  beauty  and  perception  of 
the  sublime  which  are  never  better  directed  than  in  the 
creations  of  art  when  employed  for  the  glory  of  God. 

The  early  Christian  missionaries,  not  being  actuated  by 
feelings  of  ambition,  their  doctrines  were  simple,  pure, 
and  easily  understood  and  appreciated  by  those  whom 
they  addressed.  Hence,  to  make  themselves  intelligible 
and  beloved  by  their  companions  in  the  lodge,  they  had 
but  to  unfold  before  them  the  pure  ordinances  of  primi- 
tive Christianity;  and  when,  as  was  often  the  case,  they 
were  obliged  to  seek  refuge  in  Scotland,  in  Ireland,  or 
among  the  Orkney  Islands,  there  to  live  the  lives  of  Coul- 
deans,1  it  was  necessary,  when  the  most  simple  interpreta- 

*Many  Christians  who  had  sought  refuge  in  Ireland,  in  Gaul,  and  the 
Orkneys,  habituated  to  every  privation  during  their  apostolical  excursions, 
lived  in  solitude  in  those  same  caves  and  grottoes,  in  the  sides  of  rocka 
and  mountains,  which  had  been,  before  their  time,  inhabited  by  the 
Druids,  who  there  assembled  to  celebrate  their  religious  rites;  and  from 
which  those  Christians  went  forth  only  for  the  purpose  of  spreading  the 


THE    MASONIC    CORPORATIONS    IN   BRITAIN.  43 

tion  of  their  doctrines  was  desired,  to  seek  for  it  among 
those  northern  heroes  of  the  truth.  It^wjis_mJ;lm_man- 
ner  that  Christianity  in  its  greatest  .purity  was  hetter 
preserved  in  Great  Britain  than  in  any  other  country. 

As  Christianity,  in  its  new  reTatTons'to  the  state,  daily 
increased  TTf  power,  and  demanded  for  its  exercise  the 
ercction~bf  suTEat)le  buildings,  the  Eregmason  corpora- 
tions found  ample  employment.  Every-where  Christian 
Churches  sprang  up  under  the  direction  and  active  opera- 
tions of  these  workmen.  Cpjistantine  himself,  who,  imi- 
tating his  filth er  in  many  of  his  acts  and  determinations, 
made  York  his  residence  during  the  first  years  of  his 
reign,  knew  personally  the  principal  members  of  those 
corporations^extend^edT  to  them  every  privilege  they  had 
ever  possessed  or  were  at  any  time  deprived  of,  and  thus 
they  became  the  most  effective  and  influential  arm  of  the 
public  service. 

The  approaches  of  the  Germans  upon  the  Roman  Em- 
pire of  the  West  became  from  day  to  day  more  menacing. 
They  did  not  content  themselves,  as  was  once  their  cus- 
tom, with  pillaging  arid  retiring  from  such  provinces  as 
they  overran,  but  commenced  to  definitely  establish  them- 
selves therein.  Succeeding  hordes  pushed  past  those  who 
had  arrived  before  them,  and  penetrated  even  beyond  the 
country  possessed  by  the  Romans;  and  it  was  from  this 
cause  that  Britain,  finding  herself  more  and  more  isolated 
from  the  protection  of  the  continental  empire,  began  to 
look  forward  with  more  of  fear  than  pleasure  upon  a  day 
of  freedom  from  the  Roman  sway. 

From  the  beginning  of  the  third  century  the  Romans 
had  to  contend  almost  constantly  with  the  mountaineer 
of  Scotland,   a  warlike  people,   the   aborigines   of  their 

Gospel  among  the  people.  It  was  from  the  name  of  those  solitary 
habitations  that  the  title  of  Couldeans  was  given  to  those  preachers 
of  Christianity;  as,  in  the  Gaelic  language,  the  w>rd  couldean  signifies 
"hermit,"  or  dweller  in  solitude 


44  GENERAL   HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

country,  and  who,  like  the  Welsh  or  Cambrians,  had 
never  been  conquered;1  and  at  length,  menaced  on  every 
hand,  and  wearied  with  the  continued  strife,  the  Western 
emperor  considered  it  prudent  to  remove  to  the  southern 
portion  of  his  empire  those  forces  which  had  hitherto 
been  reserved  for  the  protection  of  Britain;  and,  by  de- 
grees, as  they  were  required  to  protect  his  empire  from 
the  inroads  of  the  Goths,  he  withdrew  his  legions,  and 
with  them  his  jurisdiction  over  the  country — a  jurisdic- 
tion which  he  finally  abdicated  in  the  year  406.  Thus 
deserted  by  the  Romans,  the  Britons  called  to  their  assist- 
ance the  Anglii  and  the  Saxon  pagans  of  the  neighboring 
continent,  to  protect  them  from  the  assaults  of  the  Picts 
and  Scots  and  the  northern  pirates  who  infested  their 
coasts.  These  auxiliaries,  however,  became  as  injurious  in 
one  sense  as  they  were  useful  in  another.  They  repulsed 
the  Scots,  it  is  true,  but  they  also  fixed  themselves  in 
the  land  and  founded  the  seven  Anglo-Saxon  kingdoms. 
Their  gross  barbarities  made  them  the  enemies  of  all 
civilization.  Cities  and  villages  were  destroyed,  and  the 
flourishing  prosperity  that  Britain  enjoyed  under  the 
Roman  sway  disappeared.  The  Christian  and  civilized 
inhabitants  fled  to  the  mountains  of  Wales,  to  Scotland,  or 
to  the  isles  beyond.  It  was  among  these  refugees  that  the 
ancient  language  of  Britain  was  preserved,  and  with  it 
primitive  Christianity  and  the  knowledge  of  architecture 
as  practiced  by  the  Masonic  corporations. 

After  the  first  barbarous  impetuosity  of  the  Anglo-Sax- 
ons had  been  calmed,  and  the  more  peaceful  pursuits  of 
agriculture  replaced  the  wars  of  robbers,  some  of  these 
Christian  refugees  withdrew  from  their  mountain  caves  and 
fortresses,  and,  returning  to  what  were  once  their  homes, 
converted  many  among  the  pagan  nobles  and  people, 

'It  was  not  until  between  the  years  1273  and  1307  that  the  Welsh 
were  finally  conquered  by  Edward  I,  eon  of  Henry  III,  and  grandson 
of  John,  the  Nero  of  English  kings. — TRANS. 


THE   MASONIC   CORPORATIONS   IN   BRITAIN.  45 

but  as  yet  dreaded  to  approach  the  kings.  And  thus, 
toward  the  close  of  the_sixth  century,  the  mild  and  fruit- 
ful light  of  the  primitive  Christian  doctrine  began  to 
diffuse  its  gentle  rays  almost  to  the  center  of  the  seven 
kingdoms.  It  was  reserved  for  the  Benedictine  monks, 
whom  Pope  Gregory  I  sent  to  England,  to  convert  th 
Anglo-Saxons,  and  at  whose  head  presided  Austin,  a  cele 
brated  priest-architect,  to  succeed  in  gradually  converting 
all  theTTnngs.  It  is  true  that  these  monks,  prompted  by 
that  spirit  of  temporal  dominion  which  even  at  that  early 
age  began  to  manifest  itself  in  the  Church,  exerted  their 
best  efforts  to  strengthen  the  power  of  the  Pontiff  and 
enhance  the  possessions  of  the  Holy  See;  but  in  these 
operations  they  were  at  once  met  by  the  returned  refu- 
gees and  their  pupils,  who  had  kept  the  early  faith,  doc- 
trine, and  practices  of  the  primitive  Church;  and  thus, 
to  a  great  extent,  were  the  encroachments  on  that  early 
doctrine  prevented,  and  abuses  of  power  corrected.  And 
to  this  preservation  of  the  primitive  teachings  of  Chris- 
tian apostles,  in  the  midst  of  the  Masonic  corporations, 
it  is  proper  to  attribute  that  better  and  more  liberal  spirit 
that  rendered  the  converts  of  the  British  Isles  more  fa- 
vorably disposed  toward  the  arts  and  sciences  of  those 
days  than  were  the  inhabitants  of  the  neighboring  conti- 
nent. 

In  accordance  with  the  teachings  of  their  founder,  the 
Benedictine  monks  worked  more  than  they  fasted  or 
prayed.  Austin  himself,  the  apostle  of  England  and  first 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  was  no  less  celebrated  for  his 
knowledge  of  architecture  than  for  his  other  powers  of 
mind  and  varied  acquirements;  and  it  was  he  who,  at 
this  time,  began  to  rebuild  and  re-establish  the  ancient 
Masonic  corporations,  now  reduced,  it  may  well  oe  be- 
lieved, to  a  very  small  number — indeed,  entirely  inade- 
quate for  those  immense  constructions  projected  by  the 
new  apostles  of  Christianity.  It  was  in  this  manner  that 


46  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF    FREEMASONRY 

at  this  time,  in  England  as  upon  the  continent,  the  lodges 
became  attached  to  the  convents,  and  were  more  or  less 
governed  by  monks,  according  as  the  leading  architects 
were  monks  or  lay  brethren ;  and  from  this  fact  arose  the 
condition  that  lodges  held  their  meetings  almost  exclu- 
sively in  the  convents,  where,  if  an  abbot  was  proposed  as 
Master  or  Warden  of  a  lodge,  they  addressed  him  as  Wor- 
shipful Brother  or  Worshipful  Master,  thus  establishing  a 
mode  of  address  which  has  descended  even  to  our  own 
day  as  the  usual  one  in  speaking  to  or  of  the  first  officer 
within  a  lodge. 

After  the  close  of  the  seventh  century,  both  bishops  and 
abbots  made  frequent  journeys  to  Rome,  as  well  for  the 
purpose  of  collecting  pictures  and  relics  of  saints  as  to  in- 
duce superior  workmen  to  return  with  them  and  settle  in 
England.  Such  as  did  so,  and  all  others  who  erected  for 
the  nobles  their  castles  and  for  the  clergy  their  convents 
and  churches,  were  treated  with  the  greatest  consideration 
by  the  principal  men  of  the  country,  who  concerted  means 
for  establishing  a  taste  for  the  arts  and  sciences.  And  in 
this  undertaking  it  was  soon  discovered  that  the -senti- 
ments of  early  art,  as 'taught  by  Yitruvius,  in  the  reign 
of  Caesar  Augustus,  had  been  better  preserved  among  the 
Masonic  refugees  from  Anglo-Saxon  murder  and  robbery 
in  the  mountains  of  Wales  and  of  Scotland,  than  among 
any  other  of  the  peoples  of  either  islands  or  continent. 
In  consequence  of  this  discovery,  it  became  necessary  to 
arrange  anew  the  British  lodges,  and  to  compose  them  not 
alone  of  companion  architects  and  masons,  but  also  of 
influential  men;  and  men  who,  advanced  in  civilization, 
protected  and  loved  the  arts,  began  to  take  a  position  in 
these  lodges  as  accepted  masons.  The  lodge  at  York  was 
revived  and  became  the  most  important  one  in  the  coun- 
try, and  into  it  none  were  received  as  companions  but  free, 
men — thus  establishing  what  is  yet  the  principal  charac- 
teristic of  this  institution,  to  the  end  that  no  person,  when 


THE   MASONIC   CORPORATIONS   IN   BRITAIN.  47 

once  admitted  into  its  membership  as  an  equal,  could  in 
any  manner  be  impeached  in  his  possession  of  Masonic 
privileges.  It  was  at  this  time,  also,  that  he  who  desired 
elevation  to  the  rank  of  master  or  teacher  had  to  make 
three  voyages  into  strange  countries,  and  prove  to  the 
chief  workmen,  when  he  returned,  that  he  had  perfected 
himself  in  a  knowledge  of  the  architecture  peculiar  to 
those  countries. 

The  superior  knowledge  of  the  workmen  who  had  prac- 
ticed their  art  among  the  early  refugees  in  Scotland  began 
to  be  generally  recognized  at  the  beginning  of  the  eighth 
century,  and  to  stamp  its  expression  upon  the  buildings 
erected  in  Britain.  This  fact  produced  a  particular  modi- 
fication in  the  constitution  of  the  lodges.  While  the  gen- 
eral assemblies  of  Masons  occupied  themselves  with  archi- 
tecture of  a  general  character,  particular  members  of  the 
fraternity  formed  themselves  into  a  separate  organization, 
that  aimed  to  copy  exclusively  after  the  Scottish  models, 
and,  for  each  important  work,  these  admirable  models 
were  most  rigorously  followed.  From  York,  therefore, 
these  select  masters,  as  they  might  properly  be  called, 
made  frequent  journeys  to  Scotland,  where  a  rendezvous 
was  fixed  upon  at  which  each  of  them  might  deliberate, 
after  he  had  arrived,  upon  the  observations  made  by  others 
during  their  travels  in  the  country,  and  record  his  own. 
For  this  purpose  was  chosen  the  valley  of  Glenbeg,  on  the 
north-east  coast  of  Scotland,  opposite  the  Isle  of  Skye. 
Here  there  were  two  old  castles,  built  in  a  remarkable 
manner^ofjitone,  with  neither  lime  nor  mortar,  and  which 
appeared  to  have  served  as  places  of  refuge  in  the  wars 
of  earlier  times.  It  was  in  these  castles  that  the  masters 
assembled  in  council,  and  consequently  they  received  the 
name  of  Masters  of  the  Valley,  or  Scottish  Masters.  In 
lodge  assembled,  when  they  returned,  all  deference  was 
paid  them,  as  the  most  learned  members  of  the  fraternity, 
and  to  them  were  intrusted  the  most  particular  parts  of 


48  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

each  construction,  or,  in  other  words,  the  conscientious 
adaptation  and  rendering  of  the  Scottish  models. 

In  this  way,  the  Masonic  corporations,  in  connection 
with  the  convents  and  abbeys,  became,  after  the  fall  of 
the  Roman  empire,  the  great  conservators  of  science  and 
art;  and  in  so  great  esteem  were  the  members  of  these 
/corporations  held,  that,  notwithstanding  the  political  in- 
feriority of  Britain  at  this  time,  these  corporations  were 
found  to  create,  by  their  invincible  hardihood,  a  circle  of 
activity  and  influence  that  embraced  nearly  the  whole  west 
of  Europe.  Whenever  an  apostle  of  the  Christian  religion 
was  sent  to  a  distant  mission,  a  body  of  builders  invariably 
accompanied  him,  and  thus  it  was  that  a  material  edifice 
soon  bore  witness  to  the  advent  of  the  spirit  of  truth. 

During  the  invasion  of  the  Danes,  between  the  years 
835  and  870,  nearly  all  the  convents,  churches,  and  monas- 
teries were  destroyed  by  fire,  and  with  them  the  records 
and  ancient  documents  of  the  lodges  which  had  been 
preserved  in  those  convents.  Fifty  years  afterward,  the 
king,  Athelstan,  desirous  to  rebuild  these  monuments  of 
the  religion  of  his  heart,  directed  his  adopted  son  Edwin, 
who  had  been  taught  the  science  of  architecture,  to  as- 
semble, in  the  year  926,  in  the  city  of  York,  all  the  lodges 
of  Freemasons  scattered  throughout  the  country,  to  the 
end  that  they  would  reconstitute  themselves  according  to 
their  ancient  laws.  This  done,  he  confirmed  to  them  all 
the  privileges  which  were  possessed  by  the  free  Roman 
colleges  in  the  time  of  the  republic.  The  constitution 
that  was  at  this  time  presented  by  the  king  to  the  assem- 
bly of  Masons,  and  which  is  called  the  Uliarter 


is  imbued  with  the  spirit  of  the  first  Christian  communi- 
ties, and  proves,  in  its  introduction,  that  the  Masonic 
corporations  at  this  time  were  but  little  affected  by  any 
of  the  peculiar  doctrines  which  subsequently  were  pro- 
mulgated by  councils  of  the  Church  dominant.1 

'See  the  text  of  this  Constitution,  unJer  the  title  "  ™  ^-ter  of  York." 


TUB    MASONIC    CORPORATIONS    IN   GAUL.  49 

In  those  days  it  was  customary  to  dedicate  and  conse- 
crate to  some  saint  every  erection  intended  for  the  wor- 
ship of  God,  and  with  the  like  idea  all  the  corporations 
of  artists,  artisans,  and  trades  chose  patron  saints.  The 
Freemasons  chose  St.  John  the  Baptist  for  theirs,  because 
his  Jeast  fell  on  the  24th  of  June,  date  of  the  summer 
solstice^  This  day  had  always  been  celebrated  by  the 
peoples  of  antiquity  and  by  the  Masons,  since  the  founda- 
tion of  their  fraternity,  as  the  period  of  the  year  when, 
the  sun  having  attained  its  greatest  height,  nature  is 
clothed  and  disports  herself  in  .the  greatest  abundance  of 
her  richest  products.  As  successors  of  the  ancient  col- 
leges of  the  Romans,  the  Freemasons  of  England  con- 
served these  cherished  feasts ;  but,  not  to  come  in  conflict 
with  the  dominant  clergy,  they  were  obliged  to  give  their 
celebration  a  name  not  calculated  to  give  offense.  It  was 
on  this  account  they  were  known  not  exclusively  by  the 
name  of  Freemasons,  but  often  as  the  Fraternity  of  St. 
John,  and,  upon  the  continent,  almost  exclusively,. as _St. 
John  Brothers,  or  Brothers  of  St.  John. 


THE  MASONIC  CORPORATIONS  IN  GAUL. 

IN  the  transalpine  provinces  of  Gaul,  the  Masonic  cor- 
porations, cotemporaneous  with  those  of  Britain,  increased 
in  a  no  less  extraordinary  manner.  After  the  Roman 
provinces  were  abandoned  in  the  year  486,  all  the  coun- 
tries which  had  been  subject  to  the  Roman  sway  received 
with  delight  the  attention  of  these  builders.  In  those 
countries  they  were  called  Free  Corporations,  their  mem- 
bership being  composed  entirely  of  brother  Masons.1  Com- 

*See,  for  all  that  relates  to  the  history  of  the  society  in  France,  first 
me  Chronological  Table,  and  then  the  Summary  of  the  History  of  Free- 
masonry in  Gaul. 

4 


50  GENERAL    HISTORY   OF   FREEM/iSONRY. 

posed  of  the  remains  of  the  ancient  colleges  of  constructors, 
they  maintained  their  antique  organization  in  Lombardy, 
where  Cosmo  had  a  celebrated  schooLjof  _architeeture. 
Here  they  multiplied  to  such  an  extent  that  thejTTafted 
to  find  occupation  in  that  country,  and  consequently 
spread  over  the  continent.  After  obtaining  from  the 
Popes  the  renewal  of  their  ancient  privileges,  and  the 
exclusive  monopoly  of  erecting,  in  all  Christendom,  the 
monuments  dedicated  to  religious  worship,  they  spread 
into  all  Christian  countries.  And  although  the  members 
of  these  corporations  had  .but  little  fear  of,  or  respect  for, 
either  the  temporal  or  spiritual  power  of  the  Popes — a 
fact  which  they  took  no  care  to  hide — so  useful  were  they 
in  enhancing  the  grandeur  and  dignity  of  religion,  this 
monopoly  was,  nevertheless,  renewed  and  confirmed  by 
Pope  Nicholas  III,  in  the  year  1277,  and  continued  until 
the  year  1334,  when  Pope  Benedict  XII  accorded  to  them 
special  diplomas.  These  diplomas  made  them  free  of  all 
local  laws,  all  royal  edicts,  all  municipal  regulations,  and 
every  other  obligation  to  which  the  other  inhabitants  of 
the  country  had  to  submit,  thus  rendering  the  title  by 
which  they  were  known,  of  free  corporations,  peculiarly 
appropriate.  In  addition  to  this  freedom,  these  diplomas 
conceded  to  them  the  right  of  communicating  directly 
with  the  Popes,  of  fixing  the  amounts  of  their  own  sal- 
aries or  wages,  and  of  regulating  in  their  general  assem- 
blies all  subjects  appertaining  to  their  interior  government. 
All  artists  and  artisans  who  were  not  members  of  these 
corporations  were  interdicted  from  every  act  which  would 
(  in  any  wise  interfere  with  the  work  of  the  builders,  and 
all  sovereign  rulers  were  commanded,  as  they  dreaded  the 
thunders  of  the  Church,  to  suppress,  with  the  strong  arm 

1  of  their  power,  any  combination  of  such  artists  and  art- 

)isans  as  might  rebel  against  this  provision. 

During  the  middle  ages,  in  all  the  kingdoms  and  princi- 
palities of  Europe,  do  we  find  these  corporations  or  frater- 


THE   MASONIC    CORPORATIONS   IN   GAUL.  51 

nities — in  Germany,  in  France,  Italy,  Spain,  and  Portugal, 
where,  under  the  title  of  St.  John  Brothers,  or  Brothers 
of  St.  John,  they  have  erected  these  suhlime  monuments, 
which,  for  all  time,  seem  destined  to  remain  as  memen- 
toes of  their  architectural  skill  and  genius.  Wherever 
these  corporations  established__themselves,  they  jthere_m- 
creased  their  infl.uence_by  a^b|itin^..AS_j)atTons,  the  emi- 
nent ^ejj_oF_jEe7Tocality,  and  initiating  them  as  accepted 
Masons  into  the  bosom  of  their  society.  These,  generally 
laying  aside  the  material  object  of  the  institution,  which 
for  them  had  no  charms,  attached  themselves  to  its  mys- 
tical sense,  and  founded,  outside  of  the  lodges  of__w_ouk- 
men,  lodges  whose  labors  were  entirely  moral  and^pMla- 
sophic.  But,,  almost  immediately  after  becoming  known 
to"  the  clergy,  these  lodges  were  met  by  that  intolerant 
spirit  which  superior  knowledge,  if  unauthorized  by  the 
Church,  did,  in  those  days  of  general  ignorance,  receive  at 
their  hands,  and  the  members  of  these  lodges  were  ac- 
cused of  introducing  schisms  among  the  laity,  and  troubles 
and  sedition  into  the  temporal  sovereignty,  disaffection 
toward  the  Pontiff  and  all  other  sovereigns,  and,  in  fine, 
of  the  wish  to  re-establish  the  Order  of  the 
plar,  aiicTto^reveuge  the  deatTToTthe 
and  other  officers  of  that  Order  upon  the  descendants  of 
the  kings  and  princes  who  were  accessory  thereto.  In 
consequence  of  these~charges,  it  is  stated  by  a  document 
the  authenticity  of  which  has  not  yet  been  entirely  estab- 
lished, that  the  representatives  of  nineteen  of  those  philo- 
sophic lodges,  located  in  different  portions  of  Europe, 
assembled  at  Cologne,  in  the  year  1535,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Hermann  V","~Bishop  of  Cologne.1  At  this  meeting 
there  was  prepared  a  confession  of  faith,  in  which  were 
enunciated  the  purposes  and  doctrines  of  the:?e  Masonic 
societies.  This  document,  called  the  "  Charter  of  Cologne," 

lFor  presiding  at  this  assembly,  he  was,  some  years  subsequently,  put 
under  the  ban  of  the  Church, 


52  GENERAL    HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

is  dated  24th  of  Jane,  1535,  and  thereto  are  signed  nine- 
teen illustrious  names,  among  which  appear  Philip  Me- 
lancthon,  Bruce,  Coligni,  Falk,  Visieux,  Stanhope,  Jacobus 
Prepositus,  Van  Noock,  and  Noble — names  of  those  pres- 
ent at  this  assembly,  as  delegates  from  the  Masonic  lodges 
of  London,  Edinburgh,  Amsterdam,  Hamburg,  Paris,  Vi- 
enna, and  other  cities,  to  assist  at  this  general  assembly 
convoked  at  Cologne.  This  charter  is  written  upon  a 
sheet  of  parchment  in  Masonic  characters,  which  are  con- 
tracted into  the  Latin  of  the  middle  ages,  and  the  writ- 
ing of  which  is  so  much  defaced  as  to  render  some  of  the 
words  unintelligible.  This  charter,  together  with  a  docu- 
ment, said  to  be  the  records  of  a  lodge  called  the  "Lodge 
of  the  Valley  of  Peace,"  from  its  organization  to  the  year 
1519,  after  the  death  of  a  member  of  the  lodge,  named 
Boetzlaar,  fell  into  the  hands  of  Prince  Frederick,  Grand 
Master  of  the  lodges  of  Holland,  who  had  copies  of  them 
prepared  and  sent  to  the  principallooges of  Europe.  The 
persecutions  of  the  ultramontane  clergy,  however,  event- 
ually destroyed  the  philosophic  lodges  of  Southern  and 
Western  Europe. 


THE  MASONIC  CORPORATIONS  IN  GERMANY. 

DURING  the  fifteenth  century  there  existed  in  Germany 
a  great  number  of  lodges  of  operative  Masons  which, 
following  the  example  of  the  English  lodges  of  the  same 
period,  recognized  a  few  principal  lodges  of  master  work- 
men and  architects,  to  whom  they  accorded  the  title  of 
high  or  grand  lodges.  These  were  in  number  five,  and 
were  established  at  Cologne,  Strasburg,  Vienna,  Zurich, 
and  Madgeburg.  That  at  Cologne  was  from  at  first  con- 
sidered the  most  important,  and  the  mabter  of  the  work 
upon  the  cathedral  at  Cologne  was  recognized  as  the  chief 
of  all  the  masters  and  workmen  of  Lower  Germany,  as  was 


THE   MASONIC   CORPORATIONS   IN   GERMANY.  58 

the  master  of  the  work  on  the  cathedral  of  Straeburg1 
considered  as  occupying  a  similar  position  of  honor  in 
Upper  Germany.  Subsequently  there  was  established  a 
central  mastership,  and  Strasburg,  when  the  work  upon 
its  great  cathedral  was  continued. to  its  completion,  dis- 
puted the  pre-eminence  with  Cologne,  whose  cathedral  is 
yet  unfinished,  and  became  the  seat  of  the  grand  master- 
ship. The  grand  lodge  of  Strasburg  counted  within  her 
jurisdiction  the  lodges  of  France,  Hesse,  Swabia,  Thurin- 
gia,  Franconia,  and  Bavaria ;  while  to  the  grand  lodge  of 
Cologne  were  subordinate  the  lodges  of  Belgium  and 
neighboring  portions  of  France.  The  grand  lodge  of 
Vienna  exercised  jurisdiction  over  the  lodges  of  Austria, 
Hungary,  and  Styria;  while  those  of  Switzerland  were 
attached  to  the  grand  lodge  of  Berne  during  the  con- 
struction of  the  cathedral  in  that  city,  and  subsequently 
to  that  of  Zurich,  where  its  seat  was  transferred  in  1502. 
The  lodges  of  Saxony,  which  from  at  first  recognized  the 
supremacy  of  the  grand  lodge  of  Strasburg,  were  subse- 
quently placed  under  that  of  Madgeburg. 

These  five  grand  lodges  had  a  sovereign*  and  inde- 
pendent jurisdiction,  and  adjudged,  without  appeal,  all 
causes  brought  before  them,  according  to  the  statutes  of 
the  society.  These  ancient  laws,  revised  by  the  chiefs  of 
the  lodges,  assembled  at  Ratisbonne  on  the  25th  of  April, 
1459,  and,  for  the  first  time,  printed  in  1464,2  were  en- 
titled " Statutes  and  Rules  of  the  Fraternity  of  Stone-cutters 
of  Strasburg"  Sanctioned  by  the  Emperor  Maximilian 
in  the  year  1498,  the  constitution,  composed  of  those 
statutes  and  rules,  was  confirmed  by  Charles  V  in  1520, 
by  Ferdinand  in  1558,  and  their  successors. 

1Erwin  of  Steinbach.  He  called  together,  at  Strasburg.  the  Masonic 
Congress  of  1275.  His  seal  is  mentioned  by  Brother  Clavel  as  being  the 
oldest  arrangement  of  the  compass,  square,  and  letter  G  extant. — TBANS. 

8 This  was  about  twenty-five  years  after  the  discovery  of  the  art  of 
printing  with  moveable  types. — TRANS. 


54  GENERAL   HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

Toward  the  close  of  the  Jlftejinth.  cauilirv.,  however,  the 
crying  abuses  of  the  clergy  and  the  Popes  having  cooled 
the  religious  fervor  and  unsettled  the  faith  of  the  people, 
the  construction  of  many  churches  was  arrested  for  want 
of  necessary  means  to  erect  them.  This  led  to  the  dis- 
persion of  the  men  engaged  in  erecting  them,  and  imme- 
diately following  this  change  in  public  sentiment,  burst 
forth  the  reformation,  led  by  Luther,  which  rent  for  the 
time,  almost  to  its  foundation,  the  temporal  and  spiritual 
power  of  the  Popes,  and,  forever  arresting  the  work  upon 
the  vast  monuments  of  worship,  g^ve_the_jleath-blow  to 
the__Masonic  corporations  in  every  portio.a_o_fjthe  European 
continent.  Gradually  thenceforth  the  GLemian-. lod^ee  dis- 
solved— those  oi^ Switzerland  had  been  by  an  order  of  the 
Helvetian  Diet  disbanded  in  1522 — the  jurisdiction  of  the 
five  grand  lodges  was  narrowed  to  very  confined  limits, 
and  with  nothing  to  construct,  and  nothing  to  adjudicate, 
the  Diet  of  the  Empire,  sitting  at  Rat'isbonne,  Abrogated, 
by  a  law  of  the  16th  of  March,  1707,  the  authority  of 
these  lodges,  and  ordamed  thaj^the  differences ^be-feween 
the  wm'kmen__builders  wjhi_ch  might 
be  submitted  to  the  civil  tribunals. 


GENERAL  TRANSFORMATION  OF  FREEMASONRY  FROM  AN  OPERA- 
TIVE TO  A  SPECULATIVE  OR  PHILOSOPHIC  INSTITUTION. 

DURING  the  troubles  which  desolated  England  about  the 
middle  of  the  seventeenth  century,  and  after  the  death  of 
Charles  I,  in  1649,  the  Masonic  corporations  of  England, 
and  more  particularly  those  of  Scotland,  labored  in  secret 
for  the  re- establishment  of  the  throne  destroy'ed-bvjOrom- 
well;  and  for  this  purpose  they  instituted  many  degrees 
hitherto  unknown  and  totally  foreign  to  the  spirit  and  na- 
ture of  Freemasonry,  arid  which,  in  fact,  gave  to  this  time- 
honored  institution  a  character  entirely  political.  The  dis- 


GENERAL  TRANSFORMATION  OF  FREEMASONRY.      55 

cussions  to  which  this  country  was  a  prey  had  alreadyjDrp- 
duced  a  separation  between  the  operative  and  accepted  Ma- 
sons. The  latter  were  honorary  members,  who,  according 
to  long  established  usage,  had  been  accepted  into  the  society 
for  the  advantage  which  their  generally  influential  position 
in  the  country  might  effect;  but  this  very  position  made 
them  at  this  time  naturally  the  adherents  of  the  throne 
and  the  strong  supporters  of  Charles  II,  who  during  his 
exile  was  received  as  an  accepted  Mason  by  their  election, 
and,  in  consequence  of  the  benefits  he  derived  from  the 
society,  gave  to  Masonry  the  title  of  Royal  Art;  because 
it  was  mainly  by  its  instrumentality  that  he  was  raised  to 
the  throne  and  monarchy  restored  to  England. 

Notwithstanding,  however,  the  favor  with. which  it  was 
regarded  by  the  king,  Freemasonry,  during  the  latter  part 
of  the  seventeenth  century,  decreased  to  such  a  degree 
thatjn^  1703  ,but^  four  lodges^  existedjin^lb p-  ™  tyL,of .  Lon - 
don,  while  throughout  Great  Britain  at  that  time  none 
other  were  known  to  the  members,  who,  reduced  to  the 
smallest  number,  attended  the  meetings  of  these.  In  fact, 
with  the  completion  of  St.  Paul's  Cathedral,  the  city  of 
London  was  considered  reBuiIt,  and  tlie  occupation  of  the 
operative  Masons  seemed  to  have  been  brought  to  a  close; 
while  the  accepted  Masons,  having  obtained  the  object  of 
their  desire  in  the  restoration  of  the  monarchy,  neglected 
the  communion  they  had  previously  kept  up  with  the 
operative  members  of  the  institution.  Hence  we  iind  that 
in  the  year  1703  the  lodge  of  St.  Paul — so  named  because 
the  operative  Masons  engaged  in  the  erection  of  the  cathe- 
dral held  their  lodge  in  a  building  situated  in  the  church- 
yard or  grounds  thereof — passed  an  important  resolution 
the  object  of  which  WSLS  to  augment  the  numbers  of  the 
fraternity,  and  to  give  the  Masonic  institution  some  of  its 
former  importance  in  public  estimation.  Here,  having 
agreed  that  they  should  continue  the  existence  of  so 
praiseworthy  an  institution  to  be  used  as  the  conservator 


56  GENERAL   HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

of  religion  and  tradition,  and  perpetuate,  by  the  beautiful 
allegories  of  its  legends  and  symbols,  its  eminently  hu- 
manitarian doctrines,  they  for  this  purpose  adopted  the 
following  memorable  resolution: 

"  RESOLVED,  That  the.  privileges  of  Masonry  shall  no  longer 
be  confined  to  operative  Masons,  but  be  free  to  men  of  all  pro- 
fessions,  provided  that  they  are  regularly  approved  and  ini- 
tiated into  the  fraternity" 

This  important  decision  changed  entirely  the  face  of  the 
society,  and  transformed  it  into  what  we  find  it  to-day; 
but  many  difficulties  had  to  be  removed,  many  years  of 
probation  had  to  be  passed  before  this  form  of  its  work- 
ings could  be  successfully  adopted.  This  was  owing,  first, 
to  the  want  of  union  among  the  four  lodges;  second,  to 
the  exceedingly  disreputable  character  which,  for  many 
years,  had  attached  to  the  society — it  having  degenerated 
from  an  influential  and  privileged  institution  to  little 
better  than-  a  pot-house  companionship,  with  here  and 
there  a  proud  few  who  remembered  its  glories  of  other 
days — but  perhaps,  above  all,  the  determined  opposition 
of  the  Grand  Master,  Sir  Christopher  AYren^  the  archi- 
tect of  the  new  city  of  London,  to  the  spirit  of  the  inno- 
vating resolution.  This  opposition  he  maintained  until 
his  death;  so  that  it  was  not  until  after  that  event,  which 
occurred  in  1716,  that  the  four  lodges  which  still  existed, 
more  in  name  than  in  fact,  felt  themselves  at  liberty  to 
assemble  their  membership  with  the  primary  object  of 
electing  a  new  Grand  Master,  but  more  particularly  to 
detach  themselves  from  all  connection  with  the  lodge  at 
York,  that  had  for  fifty  years  enjoyed  but  a  nominal  exist- 
ence, and  to  put  into  active  operation  the  decision  involved 
in  the  resolution  of  1?03. 

In  that  assembly,  after  electing  the  Master  of  St.  Paul's 
Lodge,  Anthony  Say  re,  to  the  office  of  Grand  Master, 
there  were  gathered  up  the  "Constitution  and  Charges  of  a 
Freemason"  which,  subsequently  prefaced  by  a  "  History  of 


GENERAL    TRANSFORMATION   OF    FREEMASONRY.  57 

Freemasonry,"  prepared  by  Dr.  Anderson,  were  accepted, 
printed  iiL-1723.  under  the  title  of  "The 


Constitution  and  Charges  of  the  Ancient  and  Respectable  Fra- 
ternity of  Freemasons"  And  it  is  the  date  of  this  publica- 
tion that  may  properly  be  considered  the  commencement 
of  exclusively  speculative  or  modern  Freemasonry.  The 
principle  of  civilization  indwelling  in  the  doctrines  and 
pursuits  of  Masonry,  after  having  burst  the  bonds  which 
kept  it  grasped  in  the  stilt*  embrace  of  a  mechanical  asso- 
ciation, at  once  abandoning  itself  to  all  its  powers  of  ex- 
pansion, almost  immediately  penetrated  the  heart  of  the 
social  system,  and  animated  it  with  a  new  life.  The  new 
Freemasonry,  in  the  short  apace  of  twenty  -five  years, 
spread  itself  in  a  manner  but  little  less  than  miraculous 
into  nearly  every  portion  of  the  ciyjHz£d__world.  It 
passed  from  England  to  France  as  early  as  1725,  thence 
to  Belgium,  to  Holland,  to  GeiMiiany,~~to~~^LTQ^fica,  subse- 
quently to  Portugal,  Spain,  Italy,  Switzerland,  to  Sweden, 
and  to  Poland;  and,  as  early  as  1740r  were  to  be  found 
lodges  in  Denmark,  in  Bohemia,  in  Russia,  in.  the  Antilles, 
in  Africa,  andTn  the  British  possessions  in  Hindostan. 

If  Freemasonry  has  ceased  to  erect  temples  ;  if  it  has 
ceased  to  engage  in  material  architecture;  if  it  no  longer 
exhibits  itself  in  the  elevation  of  spires  and  turrets  as 
points  from  which  eyes  may  be  directed  and  hopes  ascend 
toward  a  better  and  a  happier  world,  it  has  not  less  con- 
tinued its  work  of  moral  and  intellectual  culture;  and  its 
success  in  this  respect  has  been  far  more  satisfactory  than 
those  who  planned  its  design  as  a  speculative  institution 
ever  hoped  to  achieve.  In  all  time  it  has  exercised  a  power- 
ful and  happy  influence  upon  social  progress;  and  if  to- 
day, instead  of  holding  itself  at  the  head  of  all  secular 
societies,  it  is  known  in  some  countries  but  to  be  rejected 
and  despised,  this  condition  is  owing  to  the  destruction  of 
that  uniformity  and  oneness  of  purpose  which  constituted 
its  fundamental  recommendation;  and  this  destruction  is 


58  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF    FREEMASONRY. 

due  to  the  innovations  introduced  by  ambitious  and  design- 
ing men  for  motives  of  personal  influence  and  advancement, 
and  in  defiance  of  their  solemn  asseverations  that  it  was 
not  within  the  power  of  its  membership  to  introduce  inno- 
vations into  the  body  of  Freemasonry.  But  even  here  it 
has  shown  the  immortality  of  its  spirit;  for,  notwithstand- 
ing the  multiplicity  of  rites  which  have  been  forced  upon 
it,  and  the  ceremonial  degrees  which  have  been  added  to 
it — thus  dividing  its  strength,  causing  grave  inconvenience, 
choking  the  sources  of  accurate  information  as  to  its  origin 
and  history,  and  creating  useless  and  unsatisfactory  dis- 
tinctions among  its  members — that  excellent  spirit  which 
its  earliest  teachings  engender  and  subsequent  culture 
fosters  is  ever  exhibited  in  a  fraternal  regard  for  each 
other  when  the  brethren  meet  in  their  popular  assembly, 
and  there  lay  aside  "  all  distinctions  save  that  noble  dis- 
tinction, or  rather  emulation,  of  who  can  best  work  and 
best  agree." 


DIVERS  OPINIONS  UPON  THE  ORIGIN  OF  FREEMASONRY.       59 


DIVERS   OPINIONS   UPON  THE   ORIGIN   OF   FREEMA- 
SONRY—ITS DOCTRINES,  ITS  OBJECT, 
AND  ITS  FUTURE. 


THE  origin  of  Freemasonry  has  been,  for  a  long  time, 
vague  and  obscure.  And  while  it  is  to  this  obscurity  in 
its  history,  augmented  by  the  multiplicity  of  systems 
which  have  been  introduced,  that  it  is  necessary  to  attrib- 
ute the  contradictory  opinions  as  to  its  origin  held  by 
those  who  have  written  upon  that  subject,  it  is,  however, 
due  to  the  scientific  researches  of  a  few  Masonic  historians 
who  have  entered  this  field  of  darkness  with  the  deter- 
mination to  lay  aside  all  the  commonly  received  opinions 
and  traditions  upon  the  subject,  that  at  the  present  day 
this  obscurity  has  disappeared. 

By  the  connection  that  its  forms  of  initiation  present 
with  the  Egyptian  Mysteries,  and  with  many  societies  and 
philanthropieal  schools  of  antiquit}r — the  Dyonisian,  the 
Therapeutic,  the  Essenian,  the  Pythagorean — some  authors 
have  believed  that  within  one  or  several  of  those  societies 
might  be  found  the  cradle  of  Freemasonry;  while  others, 
led  into  error  by  the  symbols  and  passwords  of  Hebrew 
origin,  have  pretended  that  its  birth  had  place  at  the  build- 
ing of  Solomon's  Temple,  of  which  the  books  of  Kings 
and  of  Chronicles,  as  found  in  the  Old  Testament,  afford 
us  such  precise  details.  This  temple,  erected  in  the  year 
1012,  before  the  Christian  era,  by  king  Solomon,  who  was, 
no  doubt,  Master  of  the  Hebrew  Mysteries — a  type  of  the 
Egyptian — and  nine  years  afterward  dedicated  by  him  to 


60  GENERAL    HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY.' 

the  glory  of  the  one  only  and  ever-living  God,  was  the  first 
national  manifestation  of  an  only  God  ever  erected.  From 
the  pointed  bearing  of  this  fact,  and  as  a  masterpiece  of 
gorgeous  architecture,  representing  in  perfection  the  image 
and  harmony  of  the  universe,  this  temple  has  ever  sym- 
bolized in  Freemasonry  the  moral  excellence  to  which 
very  brother  is  in  duty  bound  to  carry  his  perfected 
work.  Losing  sight,  however,  of  this  aspect  of  the  mat- 
ter, as  well  as  of  the  fact  that  all  the  teachings  of  an- 
tiquity were  invariably  clothed  in  allegories  and  illustrated 
by  symbols,  many  authors,  and  following  them  the  mass 
of  the  brethren,  have  accepted  the  teachings  of  Masonry 
and  the  legends  of  the  degrees  not  as  allegories,  but  as 
actual  occurrences,  and  have  inextricably  entangled  them- 
selves in  their  endeavors  to  explain  them  as  such. 

Another  peculiarity  which  has.  above  all,  contributed  to 
induce  error  in  the  researches  into  the  origin  of  the  so- 
ciety, is  the  difference  presented  by  the  forms  of  initiation; 
that  of  the  first  degree  being  evidently  borrowed  from  the 
Egyptian,  while  those  of  the  second  and  third  belong  en- 
tirely to  the  Hebrew  mysteries.  This  difference,  however, 
will  be  easily  understood,  when  it  is  known  that  Numa 
Pompilius  organized  his  colleges  of  constructors  as  a  fra- 
ternity of  artists  and  artisans,  and,  at  the  same  time,  as 
a  religious  society.  When  so  organized,  the  greater  num- 
ber of  the  colleges,  finding  themselves  composed  of  Greeks 
who  had  been  initiated  into  the  mysteries  of  their  country, 
imitated  in  their  worship  the  form  of  initiation  practiced 
in  those  mysteries;  but  when,  some  seven  hundred  years 
afterward,  in  the  time  of  Julius  Caesar,  the  Jews  were  pro- 
tected at  Rome  and  granted  many  immunities,  among 
which  were  the  privilege  of  setting  up  their  synagogues, 
a  great  many  Hebrew  artists  and  artisans  were  affiliated 
in  those  colleges,  and  in  their  turn  introduced  a  part  of 
the  Hebrew  mysteries,  and  with  them  their  own  beautiful 
allegories,  among  which  that  of  the  third  degree  was  chief. 


DIVERS  OPINIONS  UPON  THE  ORIGIN  OF  FREEMASONRY.       61 

It  is  true  that  the  forms  of  initiation  practiced  in  our 
day  probably  bear  very  little  resemblance  to  those  which 
were  in  use  among  the  Roman  colleges  of  builders,  and 
that  these  forms  have  often  been  changed  or  modified  to 
suit  the  country  and  the  men  who  found  themselves  at 
the  head  of  the  fraternity ;  nevertheless,  it  is  certain  tha 
a  fixed  and  unchanged  foundation  has  always  religiously 
been  preserved.  The  rituals  which  were  established  at 
London  in  1650,  as  well  as  those  of  1717,  seem  to  have 
been  based  upon  the  Anglo-Saxon  documents,  arranged 
by  the  General  Assembly  at  York  in  the  year  926.  It 
will  be  remembered  that  the  fraternity  in  1650,  the  year 
after  the  bloody  execution  of  Charles  I,  and  when  the 
accepted  Masons  had  acquired  such  influence  in  the  insti- 
tution, had,  to  some  considerable  extent,  and,  in  1717,  to 
a  far  greater  degree,  abandoned  the  material  object  of  the 
association,  and  the  members  thereof  having  submitted,  at 
their  initiation  into  the  two  first  degrees,  to  all  the  proofs 
required  of  the  Master,  the  allegory  of  Hebrew  origin  and 
the  summit  of  Hebrew  mystery  was  always  preserved  as 
the  proper  illustration  for  the  third  degree,  susceptible, 
as  it  is,  of  a  local  interpretation  that  satisfies  men  of 
every  worship.1 

Notwithstanding  the  connection  that  so  evidently  exists 
between  the  ancient  mysteries  and  the  Freemasonry  of 
our  day,  the  latter  should  be  considered  an  imitation 

'Such  historians  as  attribute  to  the  partisans  of  the  Stuarts  the  in- 
stitution of  Freemasonry,  and  who  constantly  believe  that  this  allegory 
portrays  the  violent  death  of  Charles  I,  are  in  error;  for  it  requires  but 
a  very  limited  knowledge  of  the  ancient  mysteries  to  see  in  Hiram,  the 
master  workman,  the  Osiris  of  the  Egyptians,  the  Mithras  of  the  Per 
sians,  the  Bacchus  of  the  Greeks,  the  Atys  of  the  Phrygians,  or  the 
Balder  of  the  Scandinavians,  of  whom  these  people  celebrated  the  pas- 
sion, violent  death,  and  resurrection  as  the  Roman  clergy  of  to-day,  in 
the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  celebrate  the  passion,  violent  death,  and  resur- 
rection of  Jesus  Christ  Otherwise,  this  is  the  type  eternal  of  all  the 
religions  which  have  succeeded  each  other  upon  the  earth. 


t>2  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF    FREEMASONRY. 

rather  than  a  continuation  of  those  ancient  mysteries;  for 
initiation  into  them  was  the  entering  of  a  school  wherein 
were  taught  art,  science,  morals,  law,  philosophy,  philan- 
thropy, and  the  wonders  and  worship  of  nature;  while 
the  mysteries  of  Freemasonry  are  but  a  resume  of  divine 
ind  human  wisdom  and  morality — that  is  to  say,  of  all 
hose  perfections  which,  when  practiced,  bring  man  nearest 
to  God.  Freemasonry  of  to-day  is  that  universal  morality 
that  attaches  itself  to  the  inhabitants  of  all  clirnes — to  the 
men  of  every  worship.  In  this  sense,  the  Freemason  re- 
ceives not  the  law,  he  gives  it ;  because  the  morality  Free- 
masonry teaches  is  unchanging,  more  extended  and  uni- 
versal than  any  native  or  sectarian  religion  can  be;  for 
these,  always  exclusive,  class  men  who  differ  from  them 
as  pagans,  idolaters,  schismatics,  heretics,  or  infidels;  while 
Masonry  sees  nothing  in  such  religionists  but  brothers,  to 
whom  its  temple  is  open,  that  by  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth  therein  to  be  acquired  they  may  be  made  free  from 
the  prejudices  of  their  country  or  the  errors  of  their 
fathers,  and  taught  to  love  and  succor  each  other.  Free- 
masonry decries  error  and  flies  from  it,  yet  neither  hates 
nor  persecutes.  In  fine,  the  real  object  of  this  association 
may  be  summed  up  in  these  words :  To  efface  from  among 
men  the  prejudices  of  caste,  the  conventional  distinctions 
of  color,  origin,  opinion,  nationality;  to  annihilate  fanat- 
icism and  superstition ;  extirpate  national  discord,  and 
with  it  extinguish  the  firebrand  of  war;  in  a  word,  to  ar- 
rive, by  free  and  pacific  progress,  at  one  formula  or  model 
of  eternal  and  universal  right,  according  to  which  each 
individual  human  being  shall  be  free  to  develop  every 
faculty  with  which  he  may  be  endowed,  and  to  concur 
heartily  and  with  all  the  fullness  of  his  strength  in  the 
bestowment  of  happiness  upon  all,  and  thus  to  make  of 
the  whole  human  race  one  family  of  brothers,  united  by 
affection,  wisdom,  and  labor. 

Slowly   and    painfully   does    the   highest    condition   of 


DIVERS  OPINIONS  UPON    THE  ORIGIN  OF  FREEMASONRY.      63 

human  knowledge  accomplish  its  great  revolution  around 
the  glittering  axis  of  truth.  The  march  is  long,  and  since 
it  began  nations  and  peoples  have  lived  and  died ;  but 
when  that  journey  is  accomplished,  and  the  incarnation  of 
truth,  now  robed  but  in  its  symbol,  shall  appear  in  all 
the  splendor  of  its  brilliant  nudity,  truth's  torch  itself 
shall  then  enlighten  the  world,  the  doctrine  that  has  just 
been  announced  shall  become  the  religion  of  all  the  peo- 
ples of  the  earth,  and  then,  and  not  till  then,  will  be 
realized  that  sublime  ideal  now  mysteriously  hidden  in 
the  symbol  of  Freemason ry. 

That  day  is,  without  doubt,  yet  far  distant;  but  it  will 
arrive.  Its  coming  is  marked  by  destiny  and  in  the  order 
of  the  centuries.  Already,  in  the  sacred  balance  of  eter- 
nal justice,  is  seen  each  day  to  diminish  a  portion  of  the 
errors  of  the  people,  and  to  increase  the  body  of  light, 
of  principle,  and  those  truths  which  are  preparing  the 
way  for  its  triumph,  and  which,  one  day,  will  give  assur- 
ance of  its  reign. 


64  GENERAL   HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 


HISTORICAL  SUMMARY  OF  THE  MASONIC  CORPORA- 

TIONS  IN  GAUL,  FROM  THEIR  INTRODUCTION  IN 

THE  YEAR  60  B.  C.,  TO  THEIR  DISSOLUTION 

IN  THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY. 


AFTER  ten  years  of  unavailing  war,  the  old  Gallic  na- 
tionality perished.  All  had  to  submit  to  the  great  genius 
of  Julius  Caesar — the  most  beautiful  devotion  as  well  as 
the  most  indomitable  courage.  It  was  in  vain  that  the 
three  hundred  and  fifty  tribes  of  the  Gauls,  the  Bellovici 
and  the  Carnutes,  the  Aedui  and  the  Bituriges,  the  Treviri 
and  the  Arverni,  had  disputed  with  him,  step  by  step,  the 
possession  of  their  territory.  The  Roman  legions,  sur- 
mounting every  obstacle,  filling  up  swamps,  breaking  out 
roads,  and  traveling  securely  through  dense  forests,  took 
possession  of  nearly  every  town  and  village  to  which  they 
laid  siege,  and  gained  nearly  every  battle  which  they 
fought.  After  having  exhausted  themselves  in  vain  ef- 
forts for  the  defense  of  Alise  and  Uxellodunum,2  Gaul 

1  Shortly  before  this  period,  some  brigades  of  Companion  Constructors, 
with  their  masters  at  their  head,  accompanied  the  Boman  legions  into 
the  middle  of  Gaul  and  into  Spain,  and  there  had  erected  some  towns: 
Cordova,  for  example.  But  it  was  not  until  Caesar's  time  that  the  col- 
leges, complete  in  all  their  appointments,  were  called  by  him  to  recon- 
struct the  destroyed  cities. 

*  Alise  is  supposed  by  some  to  be  now  called  Iselburg,  or,  according  to 
Junius,  Wesel,  in  the  duchy  of  Cleves,  but  more  probably  Elsen — Index 
to  Ccesars  Comments.  The  situation  of  Uxellodunum  is  not  now  known, 
though,  in  the  opinion  of  some  geographers,  it  was  the  modern  Ussoldun. 
— Ibid.  (Note  by  Translator.) 


THE    MASONIC    CORPORATIONS    IN   GAUL.  65 

forced  into  her  last  intrenchments,  was  obliged  to  submit 
to  the  yoke  of  the  conqueror ;  and  thus,  despite  of  her- 
self, she  became  one  of  the  most  rich  and  beautiful  prov- 
inces of  the  vast  Roman  Empire. 

According-  to  Plutarch,  Csesar,  for  the  purpose  of  bring- 
ing to  a  successful  conclusion  his  long  and  perilous  enter- 
prise, had  taken  more  than  eight  hundred  towns,  con- 
quered more  than  three  millions  of  men — of  whom  one 
rmllion  perished  in  battle,  and  another  million  was  re- 
djced  to  captivity — but,  finally,  in  the  year  60  B.  C.,  the 
work  of  conquest  was  achieved. 

Osesar  treated  the  conquered  country  with  extreme  mod- 
eration. He  left  to  Gaul  her  territory,  her  habitations, 
and  ihe  essential  forms  of  her  government.  He  accorded 
to  h.or  people  even  the  title  and  rights  of  Roman  citizens, 
with  the  sole  condition  that  they  should  pay  tribute. 

Little  by  little  the  old  Gauls  abandoned  their  rude  and 
savage  manners  for  those  soft  and  polished  of  their  con- 
querors. They  forsook  their  antique  oppida,  difficult  of 
access,  for  cities  embellished  and  adorned  with  elegant 
constructions,  and  upon  favorable  spots,  desolated  by  war, 
arose  cities  and  towns  equaling  those  of  Italy.  Augusto- 
dunum  replaced  Bibracte,  and  Augusto-nemetum  was  built 
near  Gergovia.  The  new  cities,  built  under  the  direction 
of  the  corporations  of  constructors,  who  were  partly  at- 
tached to  the  Roman  legions,  took  names  from  the  lan- 
guage of  their  builders,  and  received  from  Rome  priests 
and  magistrates.  Immediately  sumptuous  edifices  arose 
upon  the  sacred  places;  beautiful  statues,  modeled  by 
Graeco-Latin  art,  are  substituted  for  the  rude  effigies  of 
the  Celtic  divinities;  swamps  filled  with  reeds,  and  lands 
covered  with  briars,  are  converted  into  beautiful  fields  and 
meadows;  the  forests  are  cleared  and  the  soil  cultivated 
to  rival  the  most  beautiful  countries  on  the  thither  side 
of  the  Alps.  Numerous  roads  open  up  communication 
with  all  parts;  the  rivers  are  furrowed  with  boats,  and 
5 


66  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

the  ocean  with  richly-laden  ships,  like  those  of  the  Medi- 
terranean; commerce  is  extended,  fabrics  of  every  kind 
begin  to  be  manufactured;  and,  in  fine,  the  various  prod- 
ucts of  the  country  are  carried  into  every  province  of 
the  vast  empire. 

Since  the  time  of  Caesar,  Gaul  had  been  furrowed  with 
oads,  but  it  remained  until  the  reign  of  Augustus  to  con- 
nect them  with  those  which  had  been  constructed  in  the 
neighboring  provinces.  That  Emperor,  for  the  immense 
work  that  the  conquest  reclaimed,  ordered  from  beyond 
Cisalpine  Gaul,  (Venice  and  Lombardy,)  and  even  from 
Home  itself,  all  the  builders  and  artisans,  members  of  the 
colleges  of  constructors,  which  could  be  spared.  These 
corporations  conserved  their  important  privileges,  and  in 
Gaul  considerably  augmented  their  organization.  One 
portion  occupied  themselves  with  the  construction  of  the 
roads,  and  directed  the  Roman  soldiers  in  their  labors. 
Another  was  more  particularly  charged  with  the  work  on 
fortifications  and  intrenched  camps,  and  the  latter  wrere 
generally  attached  to  the  legions.  Other  colleges,  com- 
posed of  artist  constructors  in  wood,  and  mechanics, 
built,  at  Massilia  (Marseilles),  and  at  Frejus,  ships  and 
boats  for  the  service  of  the  state;  while  another  class  of 
those  colleges  were  occupied  exclusively  in  the  erection 
of  public  temples  and  monuments;  and,  finally,  yet  an- 
other in  constructing  bridges  and  aqueducts.  It  was 
under  the  orders  of  Agrippa  that  the  latter  class  con- 
structed the  most  beautiful  paved  roads  which  crossed 
Gaul  in  every  direction.  Among  these  may  be  reckoned 
the  Via  Domitia,  that  traversed  Savoy  and  Provence  (this 
road  was  originally  constructed  under  the  directions  of 
Pompey,  in  the  year  45  B.  C.,  and  extended  from  Italy 
almost  into  Gaul,  toward  the  Alps) ;  the  Via  Aurelia,  which 
starting  from  Civita  Vecchia  (Forum  Aurelia),  to  Aries; 
that  of  Emporium,  from  near  the  Pyrenees  to  the  passage 
of  the  Rhone;  finally  the  road  which,  ending  at  Lyons, 


THE   MASONIC   CORPORATIONS    IN   GAUL.  67 

after  having  passed  through  the  valley  of  Aosta,  contin- 
ued, by  order  of  Agrippa,  in  four  different  directions — 
viz.:  the  first  into  Aquitania  (Guienne  and  Gascony),  by 
the  Auvergne;  the  second  to  the  Rhine,  by  the  mouth 
of  the  Meuse ;  the  third  to  Laon,  by  Burgundy  and  Pi- 
cardy,  and  the  fourth  to  Marseilles,  by  Narbonne.  These 
were  the  principal  roads;  but  there  were  a  great  many 
others  which  connected  the  different  towns  and  villages. 
Lugdunum  (Lyons)  was  to  Gaul  what  the  City  of  Rome 
was  to  the  rest  of  the  universe,  the  center  wherein  termi- 
nated all  the  principal  roads  of  the  country.  As  at  Rome 
was  there  to  be  seen  at  Lyons  the  great  milestone  or  col- 
umn from  which  all  roads  were  measured,  and  upon  which 
the  distance  to  every  point  along  each  road  was  marked. 
The  great  Roman  roads  were  marked  at  regular  distances, 
by  milestones  (milliarii  lapides),  of  from  five  to  eight  feet 
high,  upon  which  was  indicated  the  number  of  the  stone, 
and  the  distances  given  in  miles  and  leagues. 

A  means  of  pacification  employed  by  the  Roman  Em- 
peror was  to  found  a  great  number  of  military  colonies. 
Entrusted  with  the  task  of  keeping  quiet  their  most  tur- 
bulent neighboring  countries,  and  with  the  defense  of 
their  frontier  against  the  aggressions  of  the  Germans, 
these  colonies,  which  have  given  birth  in  nearly  all  the 
provinces  to  the  cities  of  the  present  day,  were  in  daily 
communication  with  the  inhabitants  of  the  neighboring 
country,  transmitting  to  them  their  ideas  of  taste  and 
cultivation.  Composed  of  Roman  citizens,  they  enjoyed 
the  same  rights  and  privileges  to  which  they  were  accus- 
tomed in  Italy. 

The  Emperor  Augustus,  after  having  regulated,  at  Narbo- 
Martius  (Narbonne),  in  the  year  27  B.  C.,  the  assessment 
of  imposts  and  the  administration  of  the  interior,  after 
having  established  schools  and  adapted  the  laws  to  the 
wants  of  the  people,  occupied  himself  in  directing  the 
construction,  in  many  of  the  cities,  in  Carbon ne  and  Lyons, 


68  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

particularly,  by  the  colleges  of  architects,  roads,  aqueducts, 
entrenched  camps,  etc.  From  that  date  the  prosperity  of 
Lyons  may  be  said  to  have  begun.  Under  the  Roman 
rule  this  city  became  the  capital  of  Gaul,  the  seat  of  gov- 
ernment, the  imperial  residence  during  the  voyages  of 
Augustus,  and  those  of  most  the  successors  to  his  reign. 

Caesar  and  Augustus,  moreover,  accepted  the  patronage 
of  a  number  of  towns  which  took  their  names  from  the 
Julian  and  Augustan  families,  and  which  enjoyed  many 
privileges. 

The  ancient  cities,  such  as  Marseilles,  Aries,  Aix,  ISTar- 
bonne,  etc.,  were  ornamented,  in  a  considerable  degree, 
by  monuments;  while,  by  the  prodigious  activity  of  the 
colleges  of  constructors,  upon  the  sites  of  ancient  towns, 
destroyed  in  the  wars,  arose  new  cities,  in  the  construction 
of  which  both  Roman  soldier  and  native  population  lent 
their  aid.  - 

Among  this  crowd  of  cities,  the  most  important  were 
Rheims,  Rouen,  Bourges,  Sens,  Bourdeaux,  Besan£on, 
Lyons,  Vienne,  Toulouse,  Paris,  and  Treves,  and  the  last- 
named  was  chosen  latterly  as  the  residence  of  the  gover- 
nors of  Gaul.  Those  cities  were  organized  exactly  upon 
the  plan  of  Rome,  wherein  reposed  the  center  of  govern- 
ment. Each  of  them  had  its  forum,  its  capitol,  its  thea- 
ters, its  amphitheater,  its  temples,  its  cathedrals,  its  streets 
and  aqueducts,  and  also  its  schools,  wherein  were  taught 
polite  literature,  science,  and  art  with  a  success  that  ri- 
valed that  of  Athens  under  Pericles,  and  Rome  under  Au- 
gustus himself. 

The  spectacle  that  Gaul  presented  under  the  dominion 
of  the  twelve  Caesars  is  of  the  highest  interest.  The  col- 
leges of  architects,  composed  generally  of  artists  and  men 
versed  in  all  the  sciences,  had  contributed  to  this  elevated 
degree  as  much  by  the  great  number  of  monuments  which 
they  had  erected  in  the  principal  Gallic  cities,  under  the 
reign  of  Augustus,  as  by  their  learning  and  their  humani- 


THE   MASONIC    CORPORATIONS   IN   GAUL.  69 

tarian  principles.  In  this  manner  the  fraternity  had  at- 
tained to  a  condition  of  such  consideration  that  men  the 
most  distinguished  regarded  it  a  high  privilege  to  be  ac- 
cepted among  them  as  honorary  members.  At  this  time 
many  of  the  most  illustrious  patricians,  prefering  Gaul  to 
Italy  as  a  residence,  Agrippa,  Drusus,  Tiberias,  and  the 
richest  among  the  citizens  of  Rome,  sought  governorships 
in  that  country  preferably  to  any  other.  In  fine,  the 
Roman  institutions,  manners,  letters,  and  arts  transplanted 
to  this  soil  attained  a  development  as  abundant  as  in  the 
most  flourishing  of  the  years  known  to  Italy  herself. 

It  should  be  remarked  that  all  of  these  productions  of 
intelligence  were  forwarded  or  retarded,  however,  by  the 
condition  of  reigning  emperor — the  good  ruler  working 
for  the  good  of  the  provinces  as  well  as  for  that  condition 
of  Rome  herself,  while  the  evil-disposed  ruler  Jourdened 
them  with  imposts  and  vexatious  grievances. 

Almost  to  the  fourth  century  the  arts,  and  particularly 
architecture,  were  very  flourishing  in  the  province  of 
Gaul.  From  the  time  of  Constantine,  almost  to  the  defeat 
of  Syagrius,  the  emperors  continued  to  visit  the  country 
to  defend  it  against  the  incessant  invasions  of  the  Ger- 
mans, Saxons,  Burgundians,  Herulians,  etc.  But  the 
.'franks,  of  all  its  invaders,  appeared  to  be  the  most  re- 
doubtable and  persistent.  E"o  defeats  damped  their  cour- 
age until  the  year  355,  of  our  era,  when  Julian,  having 
overthrown  them  in  the  most  signal  manner,  removed  his 
residence  to  Lutesia  (Paris),  and  caused  there  to  be  con- 
structed an  immense  palace,  the  ruins  of  the  baths  of 
which  may  be  seen,  in  the  Rue  de  la  Harpe,  to  this  day. 
Under  the  emperors  who  succeeded  him,  however,  the 
aggressions  became  more  active  and  audacious,  and  the 
ravages  more  terrible.  The  imperial  power  lost  each 
year,  each  day,  a  portion  of  its  prestige.  Stilicon  yet  sus- 
tained the  power  of  Ilonorius,  in  Gaul ;  but,  after  him, 
the  Sclaves,  the  Alans,  and  the  Huns  pillaged  and  devas- 


70  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF    FREEMASONRY. 

tated  the  country  without  pity  and  without  mercy.  The 
Visigoths  and  the  Burgundians  undertook  even  to  estab- 
lish themselves  in  the  land.  Adolpli,  king  of  the  Goths, 
fought  the  German  hordes  for  some  time  with  variable 
success,  but  he  was,  in  his  turn,  chased  from  Carbon ne 
and  finally  driven  from  the  south  by  Constance,  a  gen 
cral  commanding  the  army  of  Honorius.  It  was  in  this 
war  that  the  greater  portion  of  the  beautiful  monuments 
erected  by  the  Roman  colleges  were  destroyed — monu- 
ments the  beauty  and  symmetry  of  which  we  can  yet 
judge  by  the  existing  remains  of  the  amphitheaters  at 
Aries,  at  Frejus,  Nemes,  etc.,  the  aqueducts  of  the  Pont 
du  Gard,  at  Lyons,  and  those  of  neighboring  cities. 

Honorius  reorganized  the  Gauls,  and  Aries  became  the 
capital.  In  a  proclamation,  he  invited  the  people  to  con- 
struct twenty-four  of  their  destroyed  cities,  to  rebuild 
their  bridges,  and  re-establish  their  roads.  For  this  pur- 
pose, he  sent  into  all  parts  of  the  country  which  had 
been  overrun  by  the  barbaric  hordes  artist  constructors,  to 
guide  the  workmen  and  direct  them  in  their  labors.  But 
all  of  these  ameliorations  endured  for  but  a  short  time; 
the  barbarous  nations  continued  their  invasions,  and  the 
Franks  finally  triumphed.  It  was  in  vain  that  Actius 
fought  the  Visigoths,  repulsed  the  Burgundians,  defied 
Attila.  It  was  in  vain  that  Majorien  retook  Lyons  from 
Theodoric;  the  Franks  seized  upon  Mayence,  Treves,  and 
Cologne,  destroyed  their  principal  edifices,  and  heaped 
ruin  upon  ruin.  They  established  themselves  at  Tour- 
nay,  and  from  thence  advanced,  step  by  step,  over  the 
territory  of  the  empire.  In  fine,  Clovis  appeared,  and 
Gaul  was  forever  withdrawn  from  Roman  domination. 
Then  it  was  that  a  new  art  erected  itself  upon  the  old 
ruins,  established  itself  upon  a  new  basis,  and  developed 
itself,  marked  with  some  material  elements  of  the  past, 
but  reinvested  with  another  symbol. 

The  Masonic  corporations  which  had  been  formed  out- 


TUE    MASONIC    CORPORATIONS   IN   GAUL.  71 

side  of  the  legions  who  settled  in  Gaul — and  their  number 
was  considerable — after  the  retreat  of  the  Romans  in  the 
year  486,  remained  in  the  country.  For  years  they  had 
been  in  the  habit  of  receiving  into  their  membership  many 
of  the  Gauls.  Many  members  of  these  corporations  em- 
braced Christianity,  which,  in  Gaul,  since  the  beginning 
of  the  third  century,  had  numerous  partisans.  No  longer 
exclusively  employed  by  the  government,  and  their  privi- 
leges consequently  having  decreased,  a  change  operated  in 
their  organization.  The  different  arts  aod  trades  which, 
almost  to  that  time,  had  been  united  in  one  fraternity, 
separated  and  formed  distinct  corporations ;  and  it  was 
among  these  corporations  that,  much  degenerated,  were 
found  to  exist  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  Roman 
colleges  of  constructors,  and  which,  subsequently,  served 
as  a  basis  for  the  communes  of  the  middle  ages.  Among 
them  the  corporations  of  Masons  were  at  all  times  the 
most  important,  because  they  conserved  their  primitive 
organization  and  privileges,  and  continued  to  devote  them- 
selves particularly  to  the  construction  of  religious  edifices. 
Intrusted  by  the  new  apostles,  who,  in  the  year  257,  came 
from  Rome,  bearing  the  title  of  bishops,  with  the  construc- 
tion of  the  religious  edifices  then  in  course  of  erection  at 
Amiens,  Beauvais,  Soissons,  Rheirns,  and  Paris,  these 
Christian  Masons,  guided  by  those  apostles,  and  inspired 
by  them  with  a  horror  of  pagan  temples,  wrought  with 
zeal  in  the  destruction  of  the  enormous  number  of  edifices 
and  works  of  art  that  the  wars  and  the  invasions  had  not 
yet  destroyed,  and  of  which  there  existed  many  remains. 
In  this  manner  the  earth  became  the  sepulcher  of  all  the 
remains  of  centuries  of  early  art. 

Under  the  reign  of  Childeric  (460-481),  of  Clovis  (481- 
511),  of  Clothaire  (511-561),  many  churches  were  built 
upon  the  ruins  of  the  pagan  temples,  and,  at  the  close  of 
the  sixth  century,  a  great  many  existed.  During  the  in- 
ternational wars,  the  invasions  of  barbarians  and  social 


72  GENERAL   HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

struggles  of  the  people,  the  study  of  science  and  the  prac- 
tice of  the  divers  branches  of  the  arts,  found  place  alone 
in  the  monasteries,  wherein,  above  all,  were  cultivated 
architecture,  sculpture,  and  painting.  So  that  wherever 
the  erection  of  a  church  was  contemplated,  the  plan  was 
furnished  by  an  ecclesiastic — a  member  of  the  Masonic 
corporations — and  the  work  was  executed  under  his  direc- 
tion. St.  Eloi,  Bishop  of  Koyen  (659),  St.  Ferol,  of  Limo- 
ges, Dalmae,  Bishop  of  Rhodes,  and  Agricola,  Bishop  of 
Chalons  (680-700),  were  the  celebrated  architects.  But 
the  corporations  had  equally  good  from  among  the  laity, 
of  which  the  most  renowned  had  gone  to  England,  having 
been  engaged  by  the  Bishop  of  Weymouth,  who  came  to 
Cjaul  to  seek  such ;  and,  later,  Charles  Martel,  who  ruled 
(740)  in  France  under  the  title  of  "Major  of  the  Palace," 
sent  many  masters  and  workmen  to  England  upon  the 
demands  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  kings. 

The  invasion  of  the  Arabs  (718)  arrested  the  flight  that 
the  arts  had  taken  in  the  seventh  century,  and  it  was 
not  until  the  reign  of  Charlemagne  (768-814)  that  stone- 
cutters and  sculptors  were  ordered  from  Lombardy,  and 
architecture  was  again  cultivated  with  success.  The  quali- 
fication of  stone-cutter,  or  master  of  the  wrork,  was  then 
given  to  the  greatest  architects  of  Europe,  and  whoever 
wished  to  become  an  architect  found  it  necessary  to  be 
received  into  the  corporation  to  learn  the  art  of  stone- 
cutting — that  branch  of  architecture  being  considered  the 
basis  of  the  art — not,  however,  to  be  considered  or  re- 
ceived as  a  master  until  he  had  passed  through  many  de- 
grees of  apprenticeship.  It  was  in  the  Latin  style  that 
all  edifices  of  the  time  were  erected.  The  Roman  and 
Roman-ogee,  or  transition,  styles  succeeded  it.1 

'All  the  monuments  constructed  by  Masonic  corporations  were  erected 
after  certain  forms  and  rules  which  are  called  style.  The  style  was 
adopted  by  the  architects  or  chiefs,  and  all  the  masters  had  to  couforra 


THE   MASONIC    CORPORATIONS   IN   GAUL.  73 

The  year  1000,  so  much  dreaded,  arrived.  It  should 
have  brought  the  reign  of  Anti-Christ  and  the  end  of 
the  world's  existence;  but  no  inundation  had  flooded  nor 
earthquakes  shaken  our  globe  from  its  axis,  although  the 
terror  entertained  by  the  Christian  world,  that  its  destruc- 
tion was  merely  deferred,  was  not  dissipated  for  nearly 
three  years  afterward.  At  the  expiration  of  that  time, 
however,  the  most  skeptical  felt  they  had  nothing  further 
to  fear,  and  this  belief  was  hailed  as  the  aurora  of  a  new 
earth.  Art  as  well  as  humanity  arose  from  its  long  leth- 
argy and  gave  evidence  of  the  vitality  of  its  being.  The 
desire  to  repair  the  disasters  of  years  became  general,  and 
soon  made  itself  felt  in  the  reconstruction  of  nearly  all 
the  religious  edifices  of  the  Christian  world.  "William 
the  Conqueror,  King  of  England  in  1054,  influenced  in 
some  degree  by  the  stream  of  Norman  priests  and  archi- 
tects that  flowed  into  England  during  his  reign — gradu- 
ates all  of  the  school  of  the  Lombards — built  the  finest 
and  most  stupendous  cathedrals  of  England.  A  great 
number  of  Masons  had,  at  this  time,  formed  an  Italian 
school  in  Lombardy,  which,  in  the  seventeenth  century, 
was  an  active  center  of  civilization,  and  where  some  frag- 
ments of  the  ancient  Roman  colleges  of  builders  had  lo- 
cated themselves,  and  enjoyed  their  antique  organization 

to  it.  There  may  be  enumerated  four  periods  in  which  each  style  is 
marked  by  a  form  or  style  different  from  the  other. 

In  the  first  period,  it  was  the  Latin  style  that  prevailed,  from  the  fourth 
to  the  eleventh  century;  subsequently  the  Roman  style,  during  the  elev- 
enth and  first  half  of  the  twelfth. 

In  the  second  period,  it  is  the  Roman-ogee,  or  transition  Roman  style, 
that  prevailed,  from  1150  to  1200. 

In  the  third  period,  it  was  the  primary  ogival  style  that  prevailed  ii 
the  thirteenth  century,  the  secondary  in  the  fourteenth,  and  the  tertiary 
in  the  fifteenth  centuries. 

In  the  fourth  period,  it  was  the  style  called  the  Renaissance,  or  an- 
cient Latin  revived,  that  prevailed  to  the  close  of  the  sixteenth  and  dur- 
ing the  seventeenth  centuries. 


74  GENERAL   HISTORY    OF    FREEMASONRY. 

and  privileges,  under  the  name  of  Free  Corporations.  The 
most  celebrated  were  those  of  Como,  which  had  acquired 
so  great  a  degree  of  superiority  that  the  title  of  "Magistri 
Comacini"  or  Masters  of  Como,  had  become  the  generic 
name  of  all  the  members  of  the  architect  corporations. 
They  always  taught  in  secret,  and  had  their  own  judiciary 
and  mysteries. 

While  they  had  been  laboring  to  cover  Lombardy  with 
religious  edifices,  their  number  had  so  greatly  increased 
that,  this  work  accomplished,  the  country  failed  to  afford 
employment  for  all,  and,  in  consequence,  many  united  in 
the  formation  of  a  great  Fraternity,  having  for  its  object 
to  travel  into  all  Christian  countries,  and  therein  erect 
religious  edifices.  This  design  was  earnestly  and  ably  sec- 
onded by  the  Popes,  who  conferred  upon  the  corporations 
and  upon  those  who,  with  the  same  object,  followed  in 
their  train,  the  exclusive  monopoly — mentioned  in  an- 
other part  of  this  work — which  was  respected  and  sanc- 
tioned by  the  kings  of  such  countries. 

In  the  eleventh  century  we  find  them  again  in  France, 
where  they  are  known  under  the  name  of  Brother  Masons 
and  Brother  Bridgers,  and  sometimes,  also,  under  that  of 
Freemasons.  Employed  and  directed  almost  exclusively 
by  the  religious  orders,  the  abbots  and  prelates  held  it  an 
honor  to  enter  into  membership  with  the  Fraternity,  and 
to  participate  in  their  secrets,  and  thus  greatly  promoted 
the  stability  and  consideration  accorded  to  the  institution. 
The  numbers  of  the  Mason  Fraternity  were  united  by 
mutual  obligations  of  hospitality,  succor,  and  good  offices, 
and  thus  they  were  enabled  to  make,  at  small  expense, 
the  most  lengthy  journeys  in  the  pursuit  of  employ 
inent. 

The  Bridgers,  or  Bridge-building  Fraternity,  who  formed 
a  community,  civil  and  religious,  resembling  that  of  the 
ancient  Roman  colleges,  occupied  themselves  more  par- 
ticularly with  that  which  concerned  bridges.  It  was  them 


THE    MASONIC    CORPORATIONS   IN   GAUL.  75 

who  built  the  bridge  at  Avignon  (1180),  and  nearly  all  the 
bridges  of  Provence,  Lorraine,  and  Lyons. 

The  architect-in-chief  of  the  corporation  of  Freemasons 
was  generally  a  Benedictine  monk,  and  supported  by  men 
of  all  the  principal  nationalities — Italy,  England,  France, 
Holland,  Germany,  and  Greece — who,  during  the  construe 
tion  of.  some  more  masterly  production  than  usual,  found 
it  necessary  to  travel  much  from  country  to  country. 

The  workmen  dwelt,  upon  these  occasions,  in  barracks 
erected  for  their  convenience,  near  by  the  edifice  in  course 
of  construction,  and  generally  upon  a  high  or  rising 
ground.  The  master  directed  all.  Ten  men  were  always 
under  the  surveillance  of  a  chief,  and  none  but  actual 
Freemasons  participated  in  the  work,  and  who,  when 
their  task  was  in  that  locality  accomplished,  sought  their 
fortunes  elsewhere.  In  nearly  every  instance  they  were 
ably  seconded  by  the  people  of  the  neighborhood,  who 
freely  carried  to  the  spot  the  necessary  materials  in  the 
rough  which  were  used  in  the  construction  of  the  edifice, 
and  also  by  the  nobles,  who  gave  them  money  and  pro- 
visions necessary  for  their  support.  All  of  the  principal 
cities  had  their  corporations  of  workmen,  who,  in  addition 
to  their  rights  as  citizens,  had  their  own  fundamental  and 
special  laws,  as  corporate  societies. 

It  was  in  the  reigns  of  Philip  Augustus  (1180  to  1223), 
and  of  St.  Louis  (1226-1270),  that  were  conceived  the 
majority  of  these  magnificent  cathedrals  that  can  be  called 
by  no  lesser  name  than  sublime  sanctuaries  of  an  all-pow- 
erful God  ;  grand  conceptions  of  Christian  genius  as  poems 
written  out  in  the  faith  and  by  the  hand  of  those  Mason 
philosophers.  In  the  eyes  of  the  vulgar,  these  monuments 
are  but  masses  of  stone  regularly  heaped  together;  their 
forms  present  to  such  nothing  beyond  the  expression  of 
an  idea  indicating  a  temple,  a  palace,  or  other  form  of 
edifice;  but  to  the  eye  of  the  philosopher,  this  form  had 
a  mission  more  noble  and  elevated — that  of  transmitting 


76  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

to  future  generations  the  ideas,  manners,  and  civilizing 
progress  of  the  day  and  generation,  and  of  faithfully  re- 
flecting the  image  and  sentiments  indicative  of  the  then 
civil  and  religious  knowledge  of  the  peoples.  Thus  the 
varied  genius  which  had  conceived  and  executed  the  tem- 
ples, as  well  of  antiquity  as  the  middle  ages,  gave  expres- 
sion to  the  spirit  of  the  times,  while  each  of  these  monu- 
ments seems  animated  with  the  soul  of  its  author. 

Without  entering  into  the  details  of  these  gigantic  con- 
ceptions, such  as  we  find  expressed  in  the  cathedrals  of 
Cologne,  Strasburg,  Paris,  and  many  others,  let  us  pause 
a  moment  to  grasp  their  grandness  as  majestic  edifices, 
and  we  will  discover  ourselves  lost  in  surprise  at  the 
hardihood  evinced  by  the  builder  in  his  harmonious  blend- 
ing of  diametrically  opposite  elements.  But,  when  we 
perceive  that  a  principle — individual,  original,  and  in- 
genious, disposing  of  even  the  smallest  parts  and  descend- 
ing to  the  arrangement  of  the  most  minute  details — rules 
and  imparts  to  the  whole  an  unrivaled  strength  and 
beauty,  our  souls  are  ravished  with  unbounded  admira- 
tion. 

The  principle  of  repetition  and  regular  variation  from 
a  fundamental  form  that  is  observable  in  the  interior  of 
these  monuments,  has  been  uniformly  followed  in  the 
formation  of  all  the  other  members  in  the  exterior  of  the 
edifice.  By  all  the  type  of  the  whole  is  represented  in 
the  parts;  and  thus  we  find,  in  the  compositions  of  these 
architect  philosophers,  a  marvelous  principle  of  develop- 
ment from  a  few  fundamental  forms,  proceeding  from  the 
simple  to  the  composite,  such  as  Haiiy,  in  his  treatise  on 
Mineralogy,  demonstrates  as  the  principle  of  crystalliza- 
tion, and  such  as  Goethe,  in  his  "Naturwissenschaft  und 
Morphologic,"  discovered  in  plants,  as  the  principle  of 
vegetable  metamorphosis. 

The   ties   of  union  which  existed  among  the  member- 


THE   MASONIC    CORPORATIONS    IN    GAUL.  77 

ship  of  Freemasons,  explains  how  and  why  there  appears 
such  a  striking  identity  of  expression  among  the  various 
monuments  erected  by  them  in  the  different  countries  of 
Europe,  and  above  all,  among  those  erected  during  the 
thirteenth  century.  The  masters  of  the  work  (architects) 
of  all  the  religious  edifices  of  the  Latin  Church  had  ob- 
tained their  knowledge  at  the  same  central  school ;  they 
were  obedient  to  the  laws  of  the  same  hierarchy;  they 
were  directed  in  their  constructions  by  the  same  prin- 
ciples, and  what  was  known  to  one  immediately  became 
the  property  of  the  whole  body.  They  were  obliged  to 
conform  to  a  general  plan  adopted  for  all  religious  edifices, 
and  therefore  were  not  permitted  to  follow  their  individual 
ideas  of  form,  even  if  the  result  of  their  inspirations,  as  to 
details,  would  have  been  more  beautiful  in  effect  or  har- 
monious in  ornament.  And  it  is  thus  that  the  cotem- 
porary  monuments  of  Alsatia,  Poictiers,  Normandy,  Bur- 
gundy, and  the  province  of  Auvergne  present,  in  point  of 
decoration,  a  particular  physiognomy,  which  is  generally 
attributed  to  local  circumstances,  and  to  the  nature  of  the 
materials,  rather  than  to  the  facts  we  have  indicated. 

The  enormous  sacrifices  that  the  population  had  made 
to  erect  churches,  joined  to  the  crying  abuses  of  the  clergy 
and  the  popes,  had,  in  the  fifteenth  century,  weakened 
the  popular  ardor,  and  dispelled  the  popular  faith  to  so 
great  a  degree,  that  new  church  edifices  ceased  to  be 
erected,  and  the  work  even  on  these  in  course  of  con- 
struction was  stopped.  Then  the  Reformation  completed 
the  destruction  of  papal  power,  and  forever  arrested  the 
erection  of  vast  religious  edifices.  IsTo  more  enjoying  the 
protection  of  the  popes,  the  privileges  of  the  Masonic 
corporations  became  of  little  value,  and,  having  no  more 
religious  edifices  to  construct,  the  corporations  dispersed; 
and,  by  the  beginning  of  the  sixteenth  century,  they  found 
occupation  but  in  the  erection  of  civic  edifices.  Finally, 


78  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

in  1539,  Francis  I  suspended  all  the  corporations  of  work- 
men, and  thus  Freemasonry,  in  the  ancient  sense  of  the 
term,  was  extinguished  in  France. 

Since  that  time,  the  architects  have,  in  their  individual 
capacity,  undertaken  and  finished,  by  the  aid  of  workmen 
engaged  in  the  usual  manner,  such  erections  as  was  or- 
lered  or  required.  The  tie  of  fraternity  that  heretofore 
had  united  master,  workman,  and  apprentice  was  gradu- 
ally dissolved,  and  the  workmen  formed  themselves  into 
separate  societies  which  were  imitated  by  other  bodies  of 
tradesmen.  This  was  the  origin  of  the  trades-unions 
which  were  so  prevalent  in  the  seventeenth  century,  and 
which  at  the  present  day  exists,  in  more  or  less  influence, 
in  every  city  of  Europe  and  America. 

The  consequences  of  the  dissolution  of  the  Masonic  so- 
cieties were  such  that  in  a  few  years  the  art  of  building 
the  pointed  arch  was  lost,  as  also  the  art  of  constructing 
those  voluted  elevations  which  characterizes  the  great  ca- 
thedrals of  the  middle  ages.  The  Gothic  style,  prevalent 
from  the  thirteenth  to  the  fifteenth  centuries,  gave  place  to 
the  style  called  the  Renaissance,  as  that  of  the  sixteenth 
and  seventeenth  centuries;  and  it  is  to  this  last  school 
that  belonged  the  celebrated  architects,  Delorme  and  Bul- 
lant,  who  built,  in  1577,  the  Tuilleries;  Lescot  and  Goryon, 
who  built,  in  1571,  the  Louvre;  Lemercier,  who  built  the 
national  palace  of  St.  Rock;  Blondel  and  Bullet,  who  built, 
between  the  years  1674  and  1686,  th'e  gates  of  St.  Denis 
and  St.  Martin ;  Mansart,  who  built  the  castles  of  Versailles 
and  the  Invalides,  between  the  years  1700  and  1725;  and 
J.  Soufflot,  who  built  the  Pantheon.  These  architects  were 
not  members  of  the  Freemason  corporations. 

The  Masonic  corporations  never  presented  in  France 
that  distinctive  character  that  they  had  in  England,  and 
more  particularly  in  Scotland;  and  consequently  their  in- 
fluence upon  civilization  there  has  been  much  less  than  in 
the  latter  countries.  The  practice  adopted  by  the  corpora- 


THE   MASONIC    CORPORATIONS    EN   GAUL.  79 

tions  in  those  countries  of  affiliating,  in  the  capacity  of 
honorary  members  or  patrons,  some  eminent  men,  had, 
however,  in  France,  the  same  result ;  that  is  to  say,  the 
formation  of  lodges  outside  of  the  corporations,  whose 
object  was  the  propagation  of  the  humanitarian  doctrines 
of  the  institution;  for  it  is  certain  that,  since  the  Masonic 
corporations  were  dissolved  in  France,  there  have  existed 
lodges  of  this  character  at  Marseilles,  Lyons,  and  Paris, 
similar  to  those  which  existed  at  Anvers,  Gaud,  Brus- 
sels, Amsterdam,  and  Florence.  All  of  these  lodges  are 
believed  to  have  had  entered  into  relations  of  correspond- 
ence with  each  other;  but,  since  the  middle  of  the  seven- 
teenth century,  no  trace  of  such  relationship  is  discover- 
able. 

The  final  transformation  of  this  fraternity  of  artists  and 
artisans  to  a  moral  institution,  such  as  went  into  operation 
in  London  in  1717,  and  as  it  exists  in  our  own  day,  took 
place  in  Fiance  in  1721. 


80  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 


ABRIDGMENT  OF  THE 

HISTORY  OF  MODERN  OR  PHILOSOPHIC  FREEMASONRY 

IN  FRANCE,  SINCE  ITS  INTRODUCTION,  IN  1721,  TO  THE 

ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  GRAND  ORIENT 

OF   FRANCE,   IN   1772. 


IN  the  abridgment  of  the  General  History  of  Freema- 
sonry previously  given,  we  have  shown  how  this  ancient 
fraternity  of  arts  wTas  transformed,  in  1717,  at  London, 
from  a  corporation  mechanical  and  philosophic  to  an  insti- 
tution purely  philosophic,  abandoning  forever  its  material 
object — that  is  to  say,  the  construction  of  buildings  of 
every  kind — but  otherwise  scrupulously  conserving  its 
traditional  doctrines  and  symbols.  The  first  cities  of  the 
continent  of  Europe  to  which  Masonry,  thus  regenerated, 
was  carried,  were  Dunkirk,1  in  1721,  and  Mons.2 

It  was  not  until  1725  that  the  first  lodge  was  founded 
at  Paris,  by  Lord  Derwentwater  and  two  other  English- 
men, under  the  title  of  "  St.  Thomas,"  and  constituted  by 
them,  in  the  name  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  London,  on  the 
12th  of  June,  1726.  Its  members,  to  the  number  of  five 
or  six  hundred,  held  their  lodge  at  the  house  of  the  traitor 
Hurre,  in  the  street  of  the  St.  Germain  meat-market.  A 
second  lodge  was  established,  by  the  same  English  gentle- 

lrrhe  lodge  at  Dunkirk  was  named  "Friendship  and  Brotherly  Love," 
and  was  reconstituted  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  France  in  1756. 

2  The  lodge  at  Mons  was  constituted  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  England. 
on  the  24th  of  June,  1721,  under  the  title  of  "Perfect  Union."  Subse- 
quently it  was  erected  into  an  English  Grand  Lodge  of  the  lower  country 
of  Austria,  and  has  constituted  or  chartered  lodges  since  1730. 


FREEMASONRY    IN   FRANCE.  81 

men,  on  the  7th  of  May,  1729,  under  the  name  of  "Louis 
<T Argent."  Its  meetings  were  held  at  the  house  of  the 
traitor  Lebreton,  who  kept  the  same  as  an  inn,  under  the 
name  of  Louis  d' Argent.  Upon  the  llth  of  December  of 
the  same  year  a  third  lodge  was  constituted,  under  the 
title  of  "Arts  Sainte  Marguerite."  Its  meetings  were  held 
at  the  house  of  an  Englishman  named  Gaustand.  Finally, 
on  the  29th  of  November,  1732,  a  fourth  lodge  was  consti- 
tuted, under  the  name  of  "Buci,"  the  same  being  the  name 
of  the  hotel  wherein  its  meetings  were  held.  This  house 
was  located  in  the  Rue  de  Buci,  and  kept  by  the  traitor 
Landelle;  and  the  lodge  "Buci,''  after  having  initiated  the 
Duke  of  Aumont,  took  the  name  of  "Lodge  of  Aumont." 

Lord  Derwentwater,  who  had,  in  1725,  received  from 
the  Grand  Lodge  of  London  plenary  powers  to  constitute 
lodges  of  Freemasons  in  France,  was,  in  1735,  invested  by 
the  same  Grand  Lodge  with  the  functions  of  Provincial 
Grand  Master;  and  when  he  subsequently  quitted  France 
to  return  to  England,  (where  he  perished  upon  the  scaffold, 
a  victim  to  his  adherence  to  the  fortunes  of  the  Stuarts,) 
he  transferred  those  plenary  powers  which  he  possessed  to 
his  friend  Lord  Harnwester,  whom  he  authorized  to  repre- 
sent him,  during  his  absence,  in  the  quality  of  Provincial 
Grand  Master. 

The  four  lodges  then  existing  at  Paris  resolved  to  found 
a  Provincial  Grand  Lodge  of  England,  to  which  such  lodges 
as  should  be  organized  in  the  future  should  address  them- 
selves directly,  as  the  representative  of  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  London.  This  resolution  was  put  into  execution  after 
the  death  of  Lord  Derwentwater,  and  this  Grand  Lodge 
regularly  and  legally  constituted  itself,  in  1736,  under  the 
presidency  of  Lord  Harnwester. 

Beside  the  lodges  constituted  by  Lord  Derwentwater, 
under  the  powers  and  after  the  forms  of  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  London,  there  were  constituted  other  lodges  by  a  Scotch- 
man named  Eamsay,  who  styled  himself  Doctor  and  Baroci 
6 


82  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF    FREEMASONRY. 

of  Ramsay,  also  a  partisan  of  the  Stuarts.  This  celebrated 
Mason  filled  for  some  time  the  office  of  Orator  to  the  Pro- 
vincial Grand  Lodge  of  whose  organization  we  have  just 
spoken,  and  during  that  time  he  sought  to  introduce  and 
to  establish  a  system  of  Masonry  called  Scottish,  and  which 
he  stated  had  been  created  at  Edinburgh  by  a  chapter  of  the 
lodge  "  Canongate  Kilwinning,"  but  which  had  a  political 
object  no  less  than  to  make  Masonry  subservient  to  the  Stu- 
art party,  and  an  aid  to  the  Catholic  Church  by  the  resto- 
ration of  the  Pretender  to  the  throne  of  England.  Not  wish- 
ing to  avow  its  true  origin,  the  founders  of  this  system 
attributed  its  creation  to  Godfrey  de  Bouillon,  the  last 
Grand  Master  of  Knights  Templar.  This  rite,  styled  Ma- 
sonic, had  not,  however,  at  this  time  been  accepted  either 
in  Scotland  or  England;  but,  introduced  by  Ramsay  in 
France,  it  served  as  a  basis  for  all  the  Masonic  systems 
invented  and  propagated  from  that  time  in  France,  and 
exported  into  the  different  countries  of  the  globe. 

In  1737,  Lord  .Harn  wester,  the  second  Provincial  Grand 
Master  of  Freemasons  in  France,  wishing  to  return  to 
England,  demanded,  before  his  departure,  to  be  replaced 
in  his  office  by  a  Frenchman,  and  the  Duke  of  Autin,  a 
zealous  Mason,  succeeded  him  in  the  month  of  June,  1738. L 

lrfhe  Duke  of  Autin  was  chosen  from  among  the  lords  of  the  Court 
-of  Louis  XV,  as  that  one  who  had  shown  the  greatest  zeal  for  Freema- 
sonry. He  had,  in  fact,  braved  the  anger  of  the  King,  who  had  inter- 
dicted tlie  lords  of  his  court  from  attending  the  meetings  of  the  Freema- 
sons.; and  he,  above  all,  had  shown,  in  accepting  the  position  of  Grand 
Master,  an  unusual  degree  of  courage,  as  he  knew  that  the  King  had 
threatened  him  with  arrest  and  condemned  him  to  the  Bastile  for  so 
doing.  The  King,  however,  contrary  to  general  expectation,  took  no 
steps  to  carry  out  his  threat;  but  the  police  of  the  court  continued  the 
proscription  against  the  lords  in  attendance  who  would  not  oppose  the 
weight  of  their  names  and  influence  against  the  institution.  After  hav- 
ing, in  1737,  condemned  the  inn-keeper  Chapelot  to  pay  a  fine  of  one 
hundred  francs,  and  to  close  his  tavern,  because  he  had  allowed  a  meet- 
ing of  Freemasons  to  take  place  therein,  the  year  following  they  brutally 
dispersed  a  lodge  which  had  met  at  the  Hotel  of  Soissons.  in  the  street 


FREMASONRY    IX   FRANCE.  83 

After  the  death  of  the  third  Grand  Master,  which  took 
place  in  1743,  the  Masters  of  the  lodges,  at  a  meeting  that 
was  held  on  the  llth  of  December  of  that  year,  named  in 
his  place  the  Duke  of  Bourbon,  Count  of  Clermont,  and 
from  this  time  the  organization  over  which  he  presided 
took  the  title  of  the  "English  Grand  Lodge  of  France," 
always  recognizing,  as  it  did,  the  supremacy  of  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  London. 

From  the  period  of  its  organization,  this  English  Grand 
Lodge  created  difficulties  for  itself  which  became  the  prin- 
cipal cause,  eventually,  of  spreading  disorder  in  the  Ma- 
sonic ranks,  by  giving,  according  to  the  usage  of  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  York  at  this  time,  and  also  of  chapters  estab- 
lished by  its  lodges,  powrers  to  permanent  Masters,1  of 

of  the  Two  Crowns,  arid  imprisoned  many  of  its  members  in  the  Fort 
L'Eveque.  The  nomination,  in  1743,  of  the  Duke  of  Bourbon  to  the 
Grand  Mastership  did  not  even  weaken  their  pursuit  of  the  brethren; 
for,  on  the  5th  of  June,  1744,  they  issued  an  order  which  prohibited  the 
Freemasons  to  meet  in  the  capacity  of  a  lodge,  and  by  virtue  of  this 
order  they  condemned,  shortly  afterward,  the  hotel-keeper  Leroy  to  pay 
a  fine  of  three  thousand  francs,  for  having  allowed  a  lodge  session  to 
take  place  at  his  house. 

1  Alexander  Thory,  in  his  Ada  Latamorum,  affords  us  a  very  vivid  pic- 
ture of  these  disorders.  On  page  70  he  says :  "  The  Grand  Lodge  of 
France,  which  was  established  at  Paris,  in  1743,  under  the  title  of  the 
'English  Grand  Lodge  of  France,'  declared  itself  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
the  Kingdom,  and  released  from  the  authority  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
London;  but  it  conserved  in  the  charters  which  it  gave,  in  like  manner 
with  the  Grand  Lodge  of  York,  the  authority  to  dispose  of  personal  titles 
to  brethren  under  the  style  of  permanent  Masters,  or  Masters  ad  vitam^ 
and  thus  empowered  such  Masters  to  govern  their  lodges  continually, 
and  according  to  their  individual  caprice.  These  Masters  were  permitted 
to  dispose  of  charters  to  other  Masters  of  lodges,  at  Paris  and  in  the 
provinces,  who,  in  their  turn,  constituted  other  bodies,  which  rivaled,  in 
the  expression  of  their  authority,  the  Grand  Lodge;  and  which  bodies 
organized  themselves,  under  the  titles  of  chapters,  colleges,  counsels,  and 
tribunals,  at  Paris  and  in  many  of  the  cities  of  France,  wherein  they 
established  additional  lodges  and  chapters.  From  these  disorders  there 
resulted  such  a  complication  of  evil  consequences,  thai  it  soon  became 


84  GENERAL   HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

whom  a  great  number  had  already  been  created  by  the 
first  delegates  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  York.  The  Eng- 
lish Grand  Lodge  of  France  also  organized  local  and  fed- 
eral administrations,  under  the  name  of  Provincial  Grand 
Lodges,  which  were  presided  over  by  the  Masters  of  sub- 
ordinate or  operative  lodges.  These  Provincial  Grand 
Lodges,  equally  with  the  power  that  created  them,  had 
the  right  to  create  lodges  and  grant  charters.  From  this 
general  distribution  of  the  creative  power,  it  resulted  that 
at  this  time  there  existed  in  Paris  more  than  sixty  lodges, 
and  over  one  hundred  in  the  provinces. 

Independently  of  these  Provincial  Grand  Lodges,  there 
were  also  established  in  France  other  constituent  bodies, 
some  professing  the  rite  introduced  by  Ramsay,  and  others 
analagous  rites  under  other  names.  From  among  these 
we  will  mention  the  Chapter  of  Arras,  constituted  on  the 
15th  of  April,  1747,  by  the  Prince  Pretender,  Charles  Ed- 
ward Stuart;  and  another,  under  the  title  of  the  "Mother 
Lodge  of  St.  John  of  Scotland,"  organized  at  Marseilles, 
in  1751,  by  a  Scotchman  of  the  Pretender's  suite.  Subse- 
quently there  was  established  the  Chapter  of  Clermont, 
founded  at  Paris,  in  1754,  in  the  college  of  the  Jesuits  at 
Clermont,  the  refuge  of  all  the  partisans  of  the  Stuarts. 
For  the  purpose  of  hiding  the  true  authorship  of  the  sys- 
tem of  the  Templars,  mentioned  as  having  been  propa- 
gated at  Paris  by  Ramsay,  this  system  was  at  this  time 
called  Strict  Observance,  and  the  chevalier  Bonnville,  also 
a  partisan  of  the  Stuarts,  was  announced  as  its  founder, 
when  he  was  nothing  in  connection  with  it  but  its  propa- 
gator. Finally,  in  1758,  the  chapter  called  "The  Em- 
perors of  the  East  and  the  West,"  of  which  the  members 

impossible  to  ascertain  with  any  readiness  what  body  was  really  the  head 
of  Masonry  in  the  kingdom.  The  history  of  Masonry  at  this  period  is 
much  more  obscure  than  at  any  other,  as  none  of  these  Masters  of  lodges 
and  chapters  kept  any  minutes  of  their  proceedings  or  operations — a 
formality  that  was  often  neglected  by  the  Grand  Lodge  itself. 


FREEMASONRY   IN   FRANCE.  85 

gave  themselves  the  titles  of  Sovereign  Prince  Mzsons,  Sub- 
stitutes General  of  the  Royal  Art,  and  Grand  Wardens  and 
Officers  of  the  Sovereign  Grand  Lodge  of  St.  John  of  Jeru- 
salem— a  chapter  created  by  the  Jesuits  of  Lyons.1 

1  According  to  the  work  of  Alexander  Thory,  it  should  be  by  this  chap- 
ter that  the  Consistory  of  Princes  of  the  Royal  Secret  was  founded,  in 
1758,  at  Bordeaux,  and  by  the  members  of  which  the  thirty-five  articles 
comprising  the  rules  and  regulations  of  the  system  styled  a  Lodge  of  Per- 
fection were  prepared.  This  system  comprised  the  twenty-five  degrees 
which,  under  the  direction  of  its  founders,  had  been  for  some  short  time 
practiced  in  France.  This  assertion  of  Thory  is  incorrect;  for  no  proof 
can  be  found  that  a  Consistory  of  Princes  of  the  Royal  Secret  existed  at 
Bordeaux  before  the  year  1789.  No  authority  of  this  name  existed  either 
in  1758  or  in  1761  at  Bordeaux;  and  consequently  its  membership  could 
not  have  aided  in  the  compilation  of  the  famous  thirty-five  articles  upon 
which  the  Supreme  Council  of  the  Scottish  Rite  for  France  founded  its 
origin  and  its  rights  to  the  exclusive  administration  of  this  rite,  and 
which  it  called  "The  Grand  Constitutions."  How,  otherwise,  is  it  reason- 
able to  admit  that  the  council,  constituted  and  composed  of  the  "Em- 
perors of  the  East  and  West,"  created  in  1758,  at  Paris,  who  are  said  to 
have  established  this  Consistory  of  the  Royal  Secret  in  1759,  at  Bor- 
deaux, had  called  in  the  aid  of  their  members  to  compile  rules  and  regu- 
lations which  already  were  compiled,  and  under  which  this  very  Con- 
sistory was  organized?  All  that  there  is  of  truth  in  connection  with 
these  "Grand  Constitutions"  is,  that  they  had  no  existence  in  any  form 
prior  to  1804,  when  the  Supreme  Council  was  organized  by  Grasse  de 
Tilly;  and  they  were,  in  all  probability,  fabricated  by  him  as  comple- 
mentary to  the  history  of  the  Ancient  and  Accepted  Scottish  Rite,  invented 
at  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  and  carried  by  him  to  France.  Other- 
wise the  facts  which  should  have  been  advanced  against  the  authenticity 
of  these  Regulations,  which  we  unworthily  dignify  by  calling  them  Con- 
stitutions, would  have  completely  crushed  them  out  of  existence.  Of 
these  facts,  one  is  that  there  was  not  a  printed  or  manuscript  copy  of 
these  regulations  prior  to  1804,  and  the  manuscript  that  appeared  at  that 
date  rendered  it  necessary  for  the  reader  to  suppose  that  it  had  beei 
prepared  at  Berlin  ;  for  the  name  of  that  city,  where  a  name  of  produo 
tion  should  have  appeared,  was  indicated  by  the  letter  B,  followed  by  the 
three  points,  (.'.).  Now,  as  this  manuscript  assured  the  .eader  that  the 
king,  Frederick  of  Prussia,  had  ratified  it  in  his  capacity  as  supreme 
chief  of  the  rite — an  assertion  completely  and  in  every  particular  false, 
as  we  shall  prove  in  our  history  of  the  Supreme  Council — this  initial 


86  GENERAL   HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

The  establishment  of  all  these  independent  bodies  created 
gradually  such  confusion  and  such  disorder  that  these  coun- 
cils, consistories,  tribunals,  and  chapters  knew  not  them- 
selves which  was  the  true  constituting  body  in  France. 

Constantly  disquieted  by  these  u  sovereign"  chapters  and 
tribunals,  founded,  as  we  have  indicated,  for  the  most  part 
by  Scotch  gentlemen,  partisans  of  the  Stuarts,  the  Eng- 
lish Grand  Lodge  of  France  resolved,  in  1756,  to  detach 
itself  from  all  connection  with  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Lon- 
don, arid  by  thus  declaring  itself  independent,  hoped  to  be 
able  to  rule  the  different  isolated  bodies.  In  pursuance 
of  this  resolve,  it  declared  itself  independent  of  all  foreign 
Masonic  alliances,  and  took  the  title  of  " National  Grand 
Lodge  of  France."  Its  hopes,  however,  were  not  realizedr 
for  it  continued  to  be  tormented  by  new  creations  of  Ma- 
sonic authority  it  could  not  impeach,  and  which,  like  all 
elder  organizations,  attributed  to  themselves  the  right 
of  supremacy  over  it.  The  Grand  Lodge,  they  asserted, 
in  conformity  with  its  character,  delivered  to  it  by  Lord 
Derwentwater  and  confirmed  by  Lord  Harn wester,  con- 
ferred but  the  three  degrees  of  symbolic  Masonry,  while 
these  "chapters  and  lodges  of  perfection"  believed  them- 
selves alone  possessed  of  the  right  to  confer  what  they 
styled  the  "higher"  degrees.  Following  their  lead,  many 
councils  and  chapters  were  constituted  by  masters  ad  vitam, 
who  obtained,  and  very  often  purchased,  their  privileges 
from  others  of  their  own  rank;  and  these  last  affected 
equally  a  supremacy  toward  the  Grand  Lodge  of  France, 
by  reason  of  their  pretended  knowledge  and  their  right 
to  confer  "high"  degrees — a  right  which,  though  usurped, 
the  no  less  obtained  general  recognition.  Repeatedly  did 

should  have  indicated  Berlin,  and  not  Bordeaux.  Was  it  by  design,  or 
through  ignorance,  that  subsequently  the  word  was  completed  by  writing 
it  Bordeaux?  We  are  unable  to  decide.  But  it  is  plain  that  Thory  has 
believed  and  repeated  the  fable  invented  by  the  creators  of  the  rite,  to 
give  it  an  importance  that  age  alone  would  confer. 


FREEMASONRY   IN   FRANCE.  87 

the  Grand  Lodge  denounce  the  administration  and  the 
acts  of  these  usurpers,  as  abusive  of  the  trust  reposed  in 
those  who  enabled  them  to  act  in  this  manner;  but  this  de- 
nunciation, as  also  the  efforts  put  forth  by  the  Grand  Lodge 
from  time  to  time,  to  demonstrate  the  inutility  of  these 
u higher"  degrees,  were  all  in  vain;  for  a  great  many  of 
the  lodges,  recognizing  its  authority  and  jurisdiction,  had 
adopted  those  degrees,  and  conferred  them  in  chapters  or- 
ganized by  and  under  the  control  of  those  lodges. 

The  Grand  Lodge,  unhappily,  was  powerless  to  enforce 
the  execution  of  its  edicts  against  these  illegitimate  powers. 
The  chapters  continued  to  issue  charters,  and  the  Grand 
Lodge,  in  consequence  of  the  carelessness  of  its  Grand 
Master,  the  Count  of  Clermont,  fell  into  anarchy.  To  re- 
lieve himself  from  the  administration  of  its  affairs,  the 
Grand  Master  substituted  a  deputy  named  Baure,  who, 
soon  misbehaving  himself,  was  replaced  by  a  person  even 
less  worthy — a  dancing-master  named  Lacorne.  Impressed 
with  the  belief  that  the  possession  of  all  the  degrees  in  vogue 
was  necessary  to  add  to  his  dignity,  in  the  new  position 
into  which  he  was  thrust,  Lacorne  had  himself  initiated 
into  a  lodge  of  perfection.  He  then  convoked  many  as- 
semblies, from  which  every  member  of  the  Grand  Lodge 
abstained  to  attend.  Irritated  at  this  desertion,  he  as- 
sembled a  number  of  lodge  masters,  whom  he  recruited  in 
the  taverns,  to  organize  a  Grand  Lodge,  and  of  these  he 
chose  his  officers  in  accordance  with  his  caprice.  Finally, 
upon  the  representations  which  were  made  to  the  Count 
of  Clermont  on  the  subject,  he  revoked  the  appointment 
of  Lacorne,  and  named  in  his  stead  the  brother  Chaillou 
de  Joinville,  as  his  substitute  or  Deputy  General.  From 
this  state  of  things  there  arose  a  schism  in  the  Grand 
Lodge,  and  it  became  divided  into  two  parties  who  occu- 
pied themselves  in  tearing  each  other,  each  pretending  to 
represent  xthe  constituent  body  of  French  Masonry  and 
perform  its  functions.  To  aid  the  disorder,  each  party 


88  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

published  constitutions,1  and  the  masters  of  the  lodges, 
composing  a  portion  of  the  party  of  Lacorue,  and  equally 
desirous  of  gain,  sold  the  right  of  holding  lodges,  and 
thus  the  mysteries  and  the  constitutions  becoming  an  ob- 
ject of  traffic,  outside  of  the  lodges  Masonry  fell  into 
contempt,  while  inside  anarchy  reigned  supreme. 

JWe  believe  it  proper  here  to  give  in  full  one  of  these  constitutions, 
which  was  delivered,  in  1761,  to  Stephen  Morin,  an  Israelite,  both  because 
that  it  is  at  once  a  document  authentic  and  curious,  as  well  as  that  it 
served,  some  forty  years  afterward,  as  the  foundation  of  the  ''Ancient  and 
Accepted  Scottish  Rite  of  Thirty-three  Degrees,"  created  at  Charleston, 
South  Carolina,  by  five  other  Jews,  and  introduced  into  France,  in  1804, 
by  the  establishment  of  the  Supreme  Council  for  France,  situated  at 
Paris,  and  which  is  to-day  the  rival  authority  of  the  Grand  Orient  of 
France.  This  constitution  reads  as  follows: 

"  To  the  glory  of  the  Grand  Architect  of  the  Universe,  etc.  Under 
the  good  pleasure  of  his  serene  highness,  the  very  illustrious  brother, 
Louis  of  Bourbon,  Count  of  Clermont,  prince  of  the  blood,  Grand  Master 
and  protector  of  all  the  lodges  at  the  Orient,  etc.,  the  27th  of  August, 
1761.  Lux  e  tenebris,  unitas,  concordia  fratrum.  We,  the  undersigned, 
Substitutes  General  of  the  Royal  Art,  Grand  Wardens  of  the  Grand  and 
Sovereign  Lodge,  President  of  the  Grand  Council,  a  request  to  us  made 
by  the  brother  Lacorne,  substitute  of  the  T.  M.  G.  M.,  read  at  a  meet- 
ing: That  our  dear  brother  Stephen  Morin,  grand  elect,  perfect  and 
ancient  sublime  Master  of  all  the  orders  of  the  Masonry  of  Perfection, 
member  of  the  Royal  Lodge  of  the  Trinity,  etc.,  having,  upon  his  de- 
parture for  America,  desired  the  power  to  travel  regularly,  etc. ;  that  it 
has  pleased  the  Supreme  Grand  Council  and  Grand  Lodge  to  accord  to 
him  letters  patent  for  constitutions,  etc.  For  these  causes,  etc.,  are  given 
plenary  and  entire  powers  to  the  said  brother  to  form  and  to  establish 
a  lodge  for  to  receive  and  to  multiply  the  royal  art  of  the  Freemasons 
in  all  the  degrees  perfect  and  sublime,  etc. ;  to  regulate  and  to  govern  all 
the  members  who  may  compose  the  said  lodge  which  he  may  establish 
in  the  four  quarter  parts  of  the  world  whither  he  shall  arrive  or  he  may 
reside,  under  the  title  of 'Lodge  of  St.  John,'  and  surnamed  'Perfect 
Harmony;'  giving  him  power  to  choose  such  officers  to  aid  him  in  the 
government  of  his  lodge  as  he  shall  judge  suitable;  deputing  him,  in 
the  quality  of  our  Grand  Inspector  in  all  parts  of  the  new  world,  for  to 
reform  the  observance  of  our  laws  in  general ;  constituting  him  our  Grand 
Master  Inspector;  giving  him  full  and  entire  power  to  create  inspectors 
in  all  places  where  the  sublime  degrees  shall  not  be  established. 


FREEMASONRY   IN    FRANCE.  89 

After  remaining  in  this  condition  for  some  time,  a  re- 
conciliation took  place  between  the  two  parties  composing 
the  Grand  Lodge,  and  a  union  was  ratified  on  the  24th  of 
June,  1762.  But  the  old  masters,  who  made  no  portion  of 
the  Lacorne  faction,  and  who  were  persons  belonging  some 
to  the  nobility  of  the  kingdom,  some  to  the  bar,  and  some 
to  the  most  distinguished  of  the  people,  seeing  themselve. 
confounded  with  mechanics  and  men  of  no  education,  as 
also  men  infamous  and  utterly  unworthy  of  a  place  in  the 
Grand  Lodge,  took  exceptions  constantly  to  such  men  being 
members  of  that  body;  and  hence  constant  dissensions 
arose,  and  which  were  envenomed  by  the  pretensions, 
growing  more  and  more  intolerable,  set  up  by  the  other 
constituent  bodies.  Finally,  worn  out  with  the  inces- 

"  In  witness  of  which  we  have  delivered  these  presents,  signed  by  the 
Substitute  General  of  the  Order,  Grand  Commander  of  the  Black  and 
White  Eagle,  Sovereign  Sublime  Prince  of  the  Royal  Secret,  and  Chief  of 
the  eminent  Degree  of  the  Royal  Art,  and  by  our  grand  inspectors, 
sublime  officers  of  the  Grand  Council  and  of  the  Grand  Lodge  estab- 
lished in  this  capital,  and  have  sealed  them  with  the  great  seal  of  his 
serene  highness,  our  illustrious  Grand  Master,  and  with  that  of  our 
Grand  Lodge  and  Sovereign  Grand  Council  at  the  Grand  East  of 
Paris,  the  day  and  year,  etc. 

[Signed]  "  CHAILLOU  DE  JOINVILLE, 

'«  Substitute  General  of  the  Order,  Worshipful  Master  of  the  first  Lodge  in  France,  called  '  St. 
Thomas,'  Chief  of  the  eminent  Degrees,  Commandant  and  Sublime  Prince  of  the  Koyal 
Secret. 

"  PRINCE  DE  ROHAN, 

"  Member  of  the  Grand  Lodge  '  Intelligence,'  Prince  Mason. 

"  LACORNE, 

"Prince  of  Masonry,  Substitute  of  the  Grand  Master. 

"  SAVALETTE,  DE  BUCKOLY,  TAUPIN,  and 
"  BREST  DE  LA  CHAUSSEE, 

"Grand  Knights  and  Prince  Masons, 

"De  CHOISEUL, 

"Count,  Grand  Knight,  Prince  Mason,  and  Orator. 

"BOUCHER  DE  LENONCOURT, 

"  Grand  Knight  and  Prince  Mason,  by  Order  of  the  Grand  Lodge ;  and 

"  DAUBANTIN, 

"Grand  Knight  and  Prince  Mason,  Grand  Secretary  of  the  Grand  Lodge  and  of  the  Sublime 
Cauucil  of  Perfect  Masons  in  France,  etc." 


90  GENERAL    HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

sant  complaints  which  were  addressed  to  it  by  a  great 
number  of  the  lodges  organized  by  councils,  colleges,  and 
tribunals  of  the  "  high  "  degrees,  the  Grand  Lodge  resolved 
to  choke  all  these  pretensions,  and  on  the  14th  of  August, 
1766,  decided  to  publish  a  decree  by  which  was  revoked 
all  the  capitulary  constitutions,  and  all  the  symbolic  lodges 
prohibited  from  recognizing  the  authority  which  was 
arrogated  to  themselves  by  these  councils  and  chapters.1 
A  certain  number  of  the  members  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
the  old  Lacorne  party,  infamous  men,  and  who  were,  at  the 
same  time,  members  of  the  chapters,  protested  against  this 
decree  and  compromised  the  authority  of  the  Grand  Lodge. 
Consequently,  in  the  re-election  of  the  officers  of  the  lodges 
which  took  place  in  1766,  in  accordance  with  the  regula- 
tions, those  members  who  belonged  to  the  Lacorne  faction 
were  not  renpjniuated.  From  that  sprang  protestations 
on  their  part  and  defamatory  writings  against  the  Grand 
Lodge  and  against  the  acts  of  its  officers,  until,  finally,  it 
became  incumbent  upon  the  Grand  Lodge  to  expel  these 
factious  members,  and  publish  them  as  deprived  of  all 
their  Masonic  rights. 

The  brethren  thus  expelled  from  the  Grand  Lodge  re- 
sponded to  its  decision  by  new  libels,  personalities,  and 
other  injuries,  and  even  went  so  far,  at  the  feast  of  St. 
John,  1767,  as  to  make  it  necessary  for  the  government  to 
interfere  and  forbid,  after  that  day,  the  meetings  of  the 
Grand  Lodge. 

This  rigorous  measure,  which  struck  as  well  at  the  inno- 
cent as  the  guilty,  paralyzed  all  the  efforts  of  the  Grand 

1  Though  the  Grand  Lodge  of  France,  in  1756,  declared  itself  inde- 
pendent of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  London,  which  had,  through  its  agent, 
Lord  Derwentwater,  constituted  it,  it  nevertheless  subsequently  sought 
to  renew  its  amicable  relations  with  the  latter,  and  in  1767  proposed  and 
concluded  an  agreement,  by  the  terms  of  which  each  of  these  constituent 
Masonic  bodies  agreed  to  respect  the  rights  of  the  other,  and  constitute 
no  Masonic  organization  within  each  other's  jurisdiction. 


FREEMASONRY   IN   FRANCE.  91 

Lodge  membership.  The  expelled  brethren  who  had  been 
the  cause  of  the  interdiction,  and  who  were  always  under 
the  direction  of  Lacorne,  profiting  by  the  dispersion  of  a 
great  many  members  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  held  secret 
meetings  and  constituted  operative  lodges,  to  which  they 
delivered  constitutions  ante-dated  to  a  time  previous  to  the 
division  in  the  Grand  Lodge.  Upon  the  other  hand,  the 
legal  party  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  represented  by  the  brother 
Chaillou  de  Joinville,  Substitute  General  of  the  Grand 
Master,  the  Count  of  Olermont,  also  delivered  constitu- 
tions to  organize  working  lodges  in  the  provinces,  which 
documents  were  also  ante-dated,  and  of  which  no  less  than 
thirty-seven  of  these  constitutions,  so  delivered  by  the  lat- 
ter party  during  the  period  of  the  interdiction,  were  sub- 
sequently annulled. 

The  Lacorne  party  eventually  conceived  the  plan  of 
overthrowing  the  Grand  Lodge  and  replacing  it  by  a  new 
power,  in  order  to  re-establish  in  their  Masonic  rights  all 
the  honorable  members  who  should  once  more  compose 
such  authority ;  and  they  awaited  but  a  favorable  occasion 
to  put  this  design  into  execution.  Some  approaches  made 
to  the  Lieutenant-General  of  Police  were  not  attended 
with  success ;  and  the  state  of  interdiction  was  prolonged 
until  the  death  of  the  Count  of  Clermont,  which  took  place 
in  1771.  This  event  raised  the  courage  of  the  factions, 
who  had  not  ceased  to  intrigue;  and,  in  the  hope  of  reas- 
suming  power,  they  addressed  the  Duke  of  Luxembourg, 
falsely  announcing  that  they  had  formed  the  nucleus  of 
the  ancient  Grand  Lodge  of  France,  interdicted  since  1767, 
and  desired  to  otter  the  Grand  Mastership  to  the  Duke  of 
Chartres.  The  proposition  was  agreed  to,  and  the  Duke 
of  Chartres,  nephew  of  the  Count  of  Clermont,1  designated 
the  Duke  of  Luxembourg  for  his  substitute.  The  faction 
who  had  thus  obtained  so  important  a  success  convoked 

1  Since  Duke  of  Orleans,  Philip  Equality. 


92  GENERAL    HISTORY   OF   FREEMASOXRY. 

a  general  assembly  of  the  Masters  of  all  the  lodges  of  Paris, 
and  even  invited  the  members  of  the  Grand  Lodge  who 
had  expelled  them.  At  this  assembly  they  submitted  the 
acceptance  of  the  Grand  Mastership,  signed  by  the  Duke 
of  Chartres,  and  offered  to  present  this  document  to  the 
Grand  Lodge,  provided  that  it  would  revoke  its  decree  of 
expulsion  made  against  them.  The  unfavorable  circum- 
stances in  which  the  Grand  Lodge  found  itself  at  this 
time,  joined  to  the  advantageous  considerations  which 
would  result  to  it  by  its  acceptance  of  the  Duke  of  Char- 
tres as  its  Grand  Master,  determined  the  members  to  accept 
the  conditions  which  were  proposed;  and  they  decided 
that  a  report  should  be  submitted  to  the  Grand  Lodge, 
upon  the  demand  for  a  revocation  of  the  decrees  rendered 
against  the  expelled  brethren,  in  order  that  these  decrees 
should  be  revoked  in  due  form.  This  being  done,  at  the 
feast  of  St.  John,  in  the  year  1771,  the  Duke  of  Chartres 
was  nominated  for  the  Grand  Mastership,  and  the  Grand 
Lodge  thereupon  proceeded  to  annul  all  the  charters,  or 
constitutions,  delivered  during  the  suspension  of  its  privi- 
leges, in  the  name  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  France.  A 
commission,  composed  of  eight  members,  was  thereupon 
appointed  to  elaborate  a  project  of  reorganization  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity.  There  were  also  named  twenty-two 
Provincial  Grand  Inspectors,  with  the  mission  to  visit  all 
the  lodges  in  the  kingdom  and  direct  the  administration 
of  the  rules  and  regulations,  etc. 

The  party  who  had  obtained  the  revocation  of  the  de- 
crees of  expulsion  had,  in  the  reorganization  of  the  Grand 
Lodge,  exerted  their  influence  to  obtain  the  admission  of 
their  partisans;  and  the  success  which  had  attended  their 
first  operation  favored  the  accomplishment  of  the  latter 
designs.  Therefore,  in  the  interval,  this  party,  reinforced 
by  all  the  councils  and  chapters  of  the  Scottish  Rite,  who 
had  reserved  to  themselves  the  privilege  of  avenging  the 
injury  they  had  sustained  from  the  decrees  directed  against 


FREEMASONRY   IN   FRANCE.  93 

them  by  the  Grand  Lodge,  resolved  to  equally  offer  to  the 
Dnke  of  Chartres  the  honorable  position  of  Grand  Master 
of  all  the  lodges,  chapters,  and  councils  of  the  Scottish 
Kite  in  France.  This  honor  the  Duke  accepted.1 

In  submitting  this  request  to  the  Duke  of  Chartres,  they 
made  him  believe  that  he  had  already  attained  the  posi- 
tion, by  his  nomination  in  1771,  to  the  Grand  Mastership 
of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  France.  The  Duke  knew  nothing 
of  Masonic  forms,  and  never  supposed  that  any  nomina- 
tion of  this  kind  should  be  made  in  an  assembly  of  the 
Grand  Lodge,  an  authority  that  had  repudiated  and  pro- 
scribed the  "high"  degrees.  He,  therefore,  accepted  the 
office  which  to  him  was  offered,  and  signed  the  article  of 
acceptance  presented  to  him  by  the  Duke  of  Luxembourg, 
on  the  5th  of  April,  1772.  The  latter,  as  substitute  of 
the  Duke  of  Chartres,  wished  to  concentrate  in  his  own 
hands  the  control  of  all  the  Masonic  bodies  in  the  king- 
dom, as,  by  the  parties  who  had  proposed  the  matter,  he 
had  been  advised ;  but  he  did  not  perceive  that  he  had  made 

1  We  here  give  the  text  of  this  acceptance,  because  this  document  is 
not  without  historic  interest: 

''The  year  of  the  great  Light,  1772,  third  day  of  the  moon  John,  5th 
day  of  the  2d  month  of  the  Masonic  year  5772,  and  from  the  birth  of 
the  Messiah  the  5th  day  of  April,  1772,  in  virtue  of  the  proclamation 
made  in  Grand  Lodge  assembled  the  24th  day  of  the  4th  month  of  the 
Masonic  year  5771,  of  the  very  high,  very  powerful,  and  very  excellent 
prince,  his  most  serene  highness  Louis  Phillipe  Joseph  d' Orleans,  Duke 
of  Chartres,  prince  of  the  blood,  for  Grand  Master  of  all  the  regular 
lodges  of  France;  and  of  that  of  the  Sovereign  Council  of  the  Emperors 
of  the  East  and  West,  sublime  mother  lodge  of  the  Scottish  (rite),  of  the 
26th  day  of  the  moon  Elul,  5771,  for  sovereign  Grand  Master  of  all  the 
Scottish  councils,  chapters,  and  lodges  of  the  great  globe  of  France, 
offices  which  his  said  most  serene  highness  has  been  pleased  to  accept 
for  the  love  of  the  royal  art,  and  in  order  to  concentrate  all  the  Masonic 
labors  under  one  only  authority. 

"In  guarantee  of  which,  his  said  most  serene  highness  has  eigned  this 
minute  of  the  transaction  of  acceptance. 

[Signed]  "Louis  PHILIPPE  JOSEPH  D'OKLEANS." 


9-1  GENERAL   HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

himself,  in  this  respect,  the  instrument  of  but  a  faction. 
Unhappily  having  once  lent  himself  to  such  a  scheme,  all 
the  remonstrances  addressed  to  him  by  the  enlightened  and 
respectable  portion  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  who  pointed  out 
to  him  the  awkwardness  of  his  position,  and  his  stultifica- 
tion of  theirs,  were  not  sufficient  to  induce  him  to  resign 
-lie  powers  thus  accorded  to  him,  and  his  adhesion  to 
which  ultimately  caused  the  extinction  of  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  France,  and  the  organization  .of  the  Grand  Orient, 
whose  history  we  propose  to  give  an  another  volume. 


FREEMASONRY   IN   ENGLANDi  95 


ABRIDGMENT  OF  THE 

HISTORY  OF  MODERN  OR  PHILOSOPHIC  FREEMASONRY 

IN  ENGLAND,  DENMARK,  SWEDEN,  RUSSIA,  POLAND,  GER- 
MANY,  HOLLAND,   BELGIUM,    SWITZERLAND,   ITALY, 
AND  PORTUGAL,  FROM  ITS  ORGANIZATION  IN 
THOSE  COUNTRIES  TO  THE  PRESENT  DAY. 


ENGLAND. 

have  seen,  at  the  conclusion  of  our  summary  of  the 
urigin  and  general  history  of  Freemasonry,  in  what  man- 
lier the  transformation  of  the  corporation  of  Freemasons 
rrom  an  operative  to  a  philosophic  institution  took  place 
in  England,  in  the  year  1717,  and  under  what  circum- 
stances the  Grand  Lodge  of  London,  in  constituting  itself, 
put  into  execution  the  decision  made,  in  1703,  by  the  Lodge 
of  St.  Paul. 

The  new  Grand  Lodge  directed  George  Payne,  who  had 
heen  elected  its  Grand  Master,  to  collect  all  the  docu- 
ments, manuscripts,  charters,  rituals,  etc.,  relating  to  the 
ancient  usages  'of  the  fraternity,  for  the  purpose  of  con- 
necting them  with  the  registers  and  Anglo-Saxon  deeds 
written  in  the  Gothic  and  Latin  languages,  and  of  the 
whole  to  form  a  body  of  laws  and  doctrines,  and  to  pub- 
lish so  much  of  the  same  as  might  be  judged  proper  and 
necessary.1 

'Some  members  of  the  Lodge  of  St.  Paul,  alarmed  at  the  prospective 
publicity  of  their  archives,  believed  it  to  be  their  duty,  imposed  upon 
them  by  the  oath  which  they  had  taken,  to  publish  nothing  which  par- 


yb  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

After  the  careful  examination  of  all  these  deeds,  and  a 
report  made  of  their  subjects  by  a  commission  composed 
of  fourteen  brethren,  chosen  from  the  most  erudite  Ma- 
sons of  London,  the  Grand  Lodge  directed  the  brother 
Anderson,  a  doctor  of  philosophy  and  eminent  minister 
;>f  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  London,  to  compile  from 
ihese  documents  a  constitution,  to  be  preceded  by  a  his- 
tory of  the  corporation,  which  would  in  the  future,  serve 
as  a  guide  to  modern  Freemasonry. 

Brother  Anderson,  having  acquitted  himself  of  the  task, 
in  1722  submitted  his  work  to  the  commission,  who  ap- 
proved it,  and  caused  it  to  be  sanctioned  by  the  Grand 
Lodge  on  the  25th  March,  1723.  This  constitution  is  en- 
titled, "The  Book  of  Constitutions  for  Freemasons,  con- 
taining the  History,  Charges,  and  Regulations,  etc.,  of  that 
Most  Ancient  and  Right  Worshipful  Fraternity,  for  the  use 
of  the  Lodges." 

This  constitution  is  based  upon  the  charter  of  York, 
which,  of  all  others,  has  served  as  a  guide  for  all  those 
which  have  been  established  since  A.  D.  926.  Into  this 
constitution  were  carried  otherwise  the  changes  and  the 
developments  which  were  rendered  indispensable  by  the 
new  object  of  the  society,  and  properly  above  all  was 
caused  to  predominate  the  supremacy  of  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  London.  This  last  tendency,  so  much  to  be,  in  this 
our  own  day,  deprecated,  but  proves  that  its  authors  were 
not  penetrated  by  the  true  spirit  of  the  Charter  of  York. 

This  collection  of  laws,  published  for  the  first  time  in 
1723,1  has  been  printed  many  times,  and  for  the  last  time 

took  of  the  character  of  corporate  information,  delivered  the  greater  part 
f  the  documents   in  the  possession  of  their  lodge  to  the  flames,  thus 
causing,  by  their  exaggerated  scruples,  an  irreparable  loss  to  the  Ma- 
sonic historian. 

translations  of  this  work  were  made  and  published  in  Germany  in 
the  years  1741,  '43,  '44,  '62,  '83,  and  1805.  In  London  it  was  reprinted 
in  1756,  '57,  and  '75. 


FREEMASONRY   IN   ENGLAND.  97 

by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  England,  in  1855.  Beginning  with 
the  year  1723,  the  organization  of  the  new  Masonry  was 
seated  upon  a  solid  foundation,  and  its  prosperity  con- 
tinued to  increase.  By  virtue  of  this  constitution,  the 
new  Grand  Lodge  of  England  placed  itself  in  legitimate 
and  sole  authority  over  the  entire  Masonic  fraternity,  and 
settled  from  that  time  all  contradictions  on  the  part  of 
English  lodges  constituted  previous  to  that  date.  This 
constitution  in  fact  attainted  the  ancient  liberties  of  Free- 
masons, and  in  particular  prohibited  the  formation  of  any 
lodges  which  should  not  receive  the  confirmation  .of  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  London.  In  this  manner  protests  against 
this  new  authority  were  excited  in  the  Grand  Lodges  of 
York  and  Edinburgh. 

The  activity  displayed  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  London, 
and  the  great  number  of  operative  lodges  that  it  consti- 
tuted, stimulated  the  zeal  of  the  Masons  of  Ireland  and 
Scotland,  who,  up  to  this  time,  had  not  assembled  but  at 
distant  and  irregular  periods.  Soon  Masonic  temples 
opened  on  all  sides  in  the  two  kingdoms,  and  the  initia- 
tions were  multiplied  in  great  number,  which  fact  resulted 
in  the  convocation  of  a  general  assembly  of  the  Masons  of 
Ireland  by  the  lodges  of  Dublin,  with  the  object  of  organ- 
izing Freemasonry  upon  the  same  basis  as  sustained  the 
lodge  of  London.  A  central  power  was  constituted  at 
this  assembly,  which  took  place  in  1729,  under  the  title  of 
the  Grand  Lodge  of  Ireland,  and  the  Viscount  Kingston 
was  elected  Grand  Master. 

The  Grand  Lodge  of  York,  jealous  of  the  prosperity  of 
the  Grand  Lodge  of  London,  and  pretending  that  it  waa 
the  most  ancient  and  legitimate  power,  and  solely  endowed 
with  the  right  to  direct  Freemasonry,  contested  the  su- 
premacy claimed  by  the  latter,  and  thereby  caused  for  a 
time  some  considerable  embarrassment;  but  it  could  not 
arrest  the  progress  of  that  body,  nor  interrupt  its  success, 
and  soon  found  itself  under  the  necessity  of  revising  its 
7 


GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

laws  and  conforming  its  regulations  to  the  object  of  the 
modern  Freemasonry,  as  had  already  been  done  by  its  suc- 
cessful rival,  the  Grand  Lodge  of  London. 

The  ancient  Grand  Lodge  of  Scotland,  at  Edinburgh, 
considering  the  prosperity  and  aggrandizement  of  the  new 
English  lodges  as  the  consequence  of  their  adoption  of 
lew  regulations  and  the  election  of  new  Grand  Masters, 
desired  to  introduce  these  changes  into  its  system ;  but 
the  hereditary  trust  of  patron,  of  which  James  I  had  con- 
ceded the  honor  to  the  family  of  Roslin,  in  1430,  was  an 
obstacle  to  this  innovation.  However,  the  Baron  Sinclair 
of  Roslin,  then  Grand  Master  under  this  concession,  ac- 
ceded to  the  general  wish  expressed  for  him  to  renounce 
this  authority,  and  the  four  oldest  lodges  of  Edinburgh 
convoked,  on  the  24th  of  November,  1736,  all  the  other 
lodges  and  all  the  Masons  of  Scotland  in  a  general  as- 
sembly, with  the  object  of  organizing  a  new  Masonic 
power.  After  reading  the  act  of  renunciation  of  the  Baron 
Sinclair  of  Roslin  to  the  dignity  of  hereditary  Grand 
Master,  as  also  to  all  the  privileges  thereto  appertaining, 
the  assembly,  composed  of  the  representatives  of  thirty- 
two  lodges,  constituted  itself  the  "  Grand  Lodge  of  St. 
John  of  Scotland,"  and  named  the  Baron  Sinclair  of  lios- 
lin  its  first  Grand  Master  for  1737.  Some  of  the  ancient 
lodges,  that  of  Kilwinning  among  others,  had  conserved 
the  two  political  degrees — Templar  and  Scottish  Master — 
and  by  so  doing  introduced  troubles  which  had  agitated 
England  from  1655  to  1670,  and  which  degrees  were  not 
conferred  at  this  time  but  upon  brethren  adjudged  to  be 
worthy  of  being  initiated  into  the  political  designs  favor- 
able to  the  Stuarts,  and  they  had  been  maintained  subse- 
quently, by  a  decision  of  King  Charles  II,  from  the  time 
of  the  general  assembly  of  Masons  at  York,  in  1663.  It 
was  the  chapter  named  Canongate  Kil  winning,  composed 
of  partisans  of  the  Stuarts,  who  propagated,  between  the 
years  1728  and  1740,  these  anti-masonic  degrees,  created 


FREEMASONRY   IN   ENGLAND,  99 

with  a  political  object,  and  delivered  to  their  partisans — 
among  whom  was  the  Doctor  Baron  Ramsay,  and  other 
emissaries — by  diplomas,  authorizing  them  to  confer  those 
degrees  wherever  they  found  suitable  persons  to  receive 
them.  It  is  in  this  manner  those  degrees  became  to  be 
known  as  the  Scottish  Rite.  Ramsay,  not  finding  the  col- 
lection extensive  enough,  added  to  it,  and  others  who 
succeeded  him  continued  so  profitable  an  occupation, 
until  the  Scottish  Rite  comprised  in  France  lodges,  chap- 
ters, and  councils,  the  membership  of  which  being  com- 
posed mainly  of  intriguing  politicians. 

After  the  organization  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Scot- 
land, the  thirty-two  lodges  of  which  it  was  constituted 
ranked  by  number  in  the  order  of  their  claims  to  age,  and 
the  lodge  "  Mary's  Chapel,"  exhibiting  an  act  in  due  form, 
which  carried  its  origin  to  the  year  1598,  was  placed  at 
the  head  of  the  list  of  operative  lodges,  and  took  the 
rank  of  No.  1.  The  lodge  "  Canongate  Kilwinning"  had 
claimed  this  first  place,  stating  that  its  origin  went  back  as 
far  as  the  year  1128 — a  circumstance  very  generally  ad- 
mitted in  the  country;  but  this  lodge,  having  lost  its  pa- 
pers during  a  sleep  of  a  century  and  a  half,  could  not  now 
produce  them,  and  consequently  was  refused  the  prefer- 
ence ;  and  this  refusal  caused  this  lodge  to  desire  no  con- 
nection with  the  new  Grand  Lodge,  but,  on  the  contrary, 
to  set  itself  up  as  an  independent  constituent  power, 
which  it  did,  at  Edinburgh,  in  1744,  at  first  under  the 
name  of  the  "  Mother  Lodge  of  Kilwinning,"  and  subse- 
quently as  the  "  Royal  Grand  Lodge  and  Chapter  of  the 
Order  of  Herodim  of  Kilwinning,"  abandoning  the  admin- 
istration of  the  three  symbolic  degrees  to  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  Scotland,  and  reserving  to  itself  the  right  to 
confer  the  two  high  degrees  (Templar  and  Scottish  Mas- 
ter) that  it  already  possessed,  and  also  those  wrhich  by  this 
time  were  in  use,  the  invention  of  Ramsay  and  others,  in 
France.  Not  meeting  with  any  success  at  home  in  its  as- 


100  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

sumption  of  the  risrht  to  propagate  its  high  degrees,  this 
lodge  created,  through  its  emissaries  upon  the  continent, 
a  number  of  chapters,  and  thus  returned  to  France  the 
degrees  which  it  had  imported,  by  establishing  at  Rouen, 
on  the  1st  May,  1786,  in  the  lodge  of  "Ardent  Amitie,"  a 
Grand  Chapter  of  Herodirn,  to  propagate,  as  a  provincial 
grand  lodge,  this  false  Masonry. 

Such  is  the  origin  of  the  Rite  of  Herodim  of  Kilwin- 
ning,  about  which,  as  an  important  and  valuable  adjunct 
to  Freemasonry,  so  much  noise  has  been  made.  Finally, 
after  having,  during  half  a  century,  been  instrumental  in 
producing  as  much  disorder  as  it  could  in  the  Masonic 
ranks  at  home  and  abroad,  this  lodge  of  "  Canongate  Kil- 
winning"  quietly  proposed  a  union  with  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  Scotland,  and  in  the  year  1807  was  placed  on  the  list  of 
the  operative  lodges  of  Scotland,  under  the  jurisdiction  of 
the  Grand  Lodge  of  Scotland,  as  "  Canongate  Kilwin- 
ning,  ISTo.  2." 

The  three  Grand  Lodges  of  Great  Britain,  thus  consti- 
tuted, propagated  the  new  Freemasonry  upon  every  por 
tion  of  the  globe,  so  that,  in  1750,  we  find  it  extended  into 
nearly  every  civilized  country ;  but  its  humanitarian  doc- 
trines, like  the  dogma  of  ''Liberty,  Equality,  Fraternity," 
which  it  exhibited,  frightened  the  kings  and  the  clergy, 
who  sought  to  arrest  its  progress  by  issuing  decrees  and 
edicts  against  it.  In  Russia,  in  1731,  in  Holland,  in  1735, 
in  Paris,  in  1737,  1738,  1744,  and  1745,  the  meetings  of 
lodges  of  Freemasons  wrere  interdicted  by  the  government; 
while  at  Rome  and  in  Florence  its  members  were  ar- 
rested and  persecuted,  and  in  Sweden,  Hamburg,  and  Ge- 
neva they  were  prohibited  from  meeting  or  assembling 
themselves  in  the  capacity  of  lodges.  The  Holy  Inquisi- 
tion threw  Freemasons  into  prison,  burnt;  by  the  hand  of 
the  public  executioner,  all  books  which  contained  Masonic 
regulations,  history,  or  doctrines ;  condemned  at  Malta  to 
perpetual  exile,  in  1740,  a  number  of  knights  who  had  or- 


FREEMASONRY  IN  ENGLAND.  101 

ganized  a  lodge  on  that  island ;  in  Portugal  it  exercised 
against  them  cruelties  of  various  kinds,  and  condemned 
them  to  the  galleys ;  while  in  Vienna  and  Marseilles,  as 
also  in  Switzerland,  in  the  canton  of  Berne,  the  iron  hand 
of  that  "Holy"  institution  was  felt  in  1743.  In  1748,  at 
Constantinople,  the  sultan  endeavored  to  destroy  the  Ma- 
sonic society.  In  the  states  of  the  Church,  the  King  of 
Naples  prohibited  Masonry,  and  Ferdinand  VII,  King  of 
Spain,  issued  an  edict  that  prohibited  the  assembly  of 
Freemasons  within  his  kingdom,  under  penalty  of  death. 
In  1751,  Pope  Benedict  XIV  renewed  the  bull  of  excom- 
munication promulgated  against  the  Fraternity  by  Clem- 
ent XII,  while  the  threat  of  death  menaced  all  who  should 
be  known  to  attend  Masonic  meetings. 

But  all  these  exhibitions  of  the  rage  of  kings,  princes, 
and  potentates  were  ineffectual  to  stop  the  onward  course 
of  Freemasonry,  which  continued  to  be  propagated  upon 
all  the  surface  of  the  earth  with  a  rapidity  that  no  power 
could  arrest.  Braving  the  bull  of  Benedict  XIV,  Free- 
masonry is  openly  practiced  in  Tuscany,  at  Naples,  and  in 
many  other  parts  of  the  Italian  peninsula.  At  Rome 
even  the  partisans  of  the  Stuarts  founded  some  lodges, 
which  they  took  but  feeble  pains  to  hide  from  the  au- 
thorities.1 

The  activity  of  the  three  Grand  Lodges  of  Great  Brit- 
ain, and,  above  all,  of  that  of  London,  was  not  confined 
to  the  establishment  of  lodges  in  Europe  between  the 
years  1727  and  1740 ;  they  had  already  transplanted  Ma- 
sonry to  Bengal,  to  Bombay,  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope, 
New  South  Wales,  New  Zealand,  and  Java,  and  as  early 
as  1721,  lodges  of  Masons  wrere  established  in  Canada. 
Before  1740  Masonry  existed  in  the  principal  colonies  of 

1  It  may  well  be  believed  that  the  reason  for  the  blindness  which  pressed 
upon  the  vision  of  the  authorities  at  Rome,  in  connection  with  these 
lodges,  was,  that  the  JesuitSj  whose  cause  those  lodges  served,  did  not 
wish  to  see, 


102  GENERAL    HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

the  now  United  States  of  America,  such  as  Massachusetts, 
Georgia,  South  Carolina,  and  New  York.  In  those  colo- 
nies the  lodges  had  created  Grand  Lodges  independent  of 
the  Grand  Lodges  of  England,  of  whom  they  had  in  the 
beginning  received  their  authority.  Massachusetts  had  a 
Grand  Lodge  in  1777,  Vermont  in  1774,  Virginia  and  North 
Carolina  in  1778,  Maryland  in  1783,  Pennsylvania,  Georgia, 
and  New  Jersey  in  1786,  and  New  York  in  1787. 

The  Lodge  of  London,  notwithstanding  its  astonishing 
prosperity,  was  not  permitted  to  enjoy  that  prosperity 
without  great  internal  struggles,  caused  first  by  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  York,  and  subsequently  by  the  schism  of  a 
great  many  brethren,  who,  adhering  to  the  claims  of  the 
latter,  went  out  from  the  former  and  took  the  name  of 
"Ancient  Masons/7  in  contradistinction  to  the  member- 
ship of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  London,  who  remained  true 
to  their  engagements,  and  whom  this  schismatic  party 
styled  "Modern  Masons."  These  schismatic  lodges,  com- 
posed in  great  part  of  Irish  Masons — who  accused  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  altering  the  rituals  and  introducing  in- 
novations— and  of  Masons  who  had  been  expelled,  in  1751, 
constituted  a  rival  power  to  the  Grand  Lodge,  under  the 
title  of  "The  Grand  Lodge  of  Ancient  Masons  of  Eng- 
land." Notwithstanding  its  inferiority,  and  the  few  lodges 
which  it  represented  or  was  enabled  to  establish,  this 
schismatic  party,  in  1772,  requested  the  Duke  of  Athol, 
who  had  already  filled  that  office  in  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
Scotland,  to  become  its  Grand  Master,  a  request  with 
which  he  complied. 

To  give  itself  importance,  and  to  influence  to  its  ranks 
the  nobility,  this  schismatic  party  added  to  the  degrees 
with  which  it  had  started  some  of  the  high  degrees  cre- 
ated in  France  by  the  partisans  of  the  Stuarts,  and  which 
they  imported  into  England  about  the  year  1760,  and  com- 
bined them  with  the  symbolic  degrees  into  a  rite  of  seven 


FREEMASONRY  IN  ENGLAND.  103 

degrees,  the  highest  of  which  they  called  the  Royal  Arch.1 
This  Grand  Lodge  of  self-styled  Ancient  Masons  trans- 
planted its  rite  into  the  lodges  which  it  constituted  in 
America,  and  there  produced  the  same  disorders  and  the 
same  schisms  among  the  Fraternity  that  the  "high"  de- 
grees had  already  provoked  in  ail  the  states  of  Europe.2 

1  This  degree  is  founded  entirely  upon  the  biblical  legend  of  the  Jew- 
ish ark  of  the  covenant;  but,  in  England,  they  give  it  another  significa- 
tion, and  call  it  the  "  Holy  Arch." 

2  In  this  statement  I  beg  leave  to  correct  brother  Rebold.     The  only  dis- 
orders or  schisms  created  by  "Lawrence  Dermott's  Grand  Lodge'' — by 
which   name  the  schismatic  organization  styled  "Ancient  Masons"  is 
known,  at  this  time,  in  America — were  at  an  early  stage  checked  in  their 
growth  by  the  organization  of  what  is  also  known   as  the  "American 
System  of  Freemasonry,"  comprising  a  rite  of  twelve  degrees,  in  which, 
while  the  different  State  Grand  Lodges  have  exclusive  jurisdiction  over 
the  three  degrees  of  symbolic  Masonry,  the  operative  Royal  Arch  Chap- 
ters, Councils,  and  Encampments,  (or,  as  more  lately  styled,  Command- 
cries),  have  in  charge  the  conference  of  the   other  degrees  known  as 
Capitular,  Cryptic,  and  Christian  Masonry ;  and  they,  in  their  turn,  are 
subject  to  State  organizations,  and  the  latter  to  a  general  organization 
for   each,  styled,  respectively,  the  "General   Grand   Chapter  of  Royal 
Arch  Masons  for  the  United  States,"  organized  in  1808,  and  the  "Gen- 
eral Grand  Encampment  of  Knights  Templar  for  the  United  States," 
organized  in  1816.     In  this  manner  the  different  degrees  are  utilized  and 
kept  apart,  every  Master  Mason  being  allowed  to  "take"  as  many  or  aa 
few  of  them  as  he  may  deem  necessary  for  his  enlightenment. 

While  the  object  of  these  higher  degrees  in  Europe,  according  to  our 
author,  was  entirely  of  a  political  character,  in  this  country  no  such 
character,  or  even  tendency,  has  ever  been  attributed  to  them.  The 
anti-masonic  excitement,  which  prevailed  in  this  country  from  1826  to 
1836,  or  thereabouts,  had  no  effective  origin  within  a  Masonic  body  of 
any  rite.  William  Morgan,  it  is  true,  in  the  former  year,  took  umbrage 
at  being  refused  membership  in  a  Royal  Arch  Chapter  about  to  be  or- 
ganized in  the  town  of  Batavia,  his  residence,  in  the  State  of  New  York 
and  thereupon  resurrected  an  old  copy  of  "  Jachin  and  Boaz,"  published 
in  London  in  1750,  and  republished  shortly  afterward  in  the  then  colony 
of  New  York.  With  this  book,  and  what  he  knew  of  Masonic  rituals, 
he  made  an  "Exposition  of  Freemasonry ;"  and,  by  the  aid  of  an  evil- 
disposed  person  named  Miller,  published  the  same.  His  subsequent 


104  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF    FREEMASONRY. 

This  unhappy  division  in  the  bosom  of  English  Ma- 
sonry,  commenced  in  1736,  was  continued  for  a  long  time, 
by  the  Grand  Lodges  of  Ireland  and  Scotland  recognizing 
the  schismatic  "  Grand  Lodge  of  Ancient  Masons,"  to  which 
they  in  this  manner  gave  a  character  that  it  did  not 
merit,  but  which  continued  until  the  year  1813,  when  at 
his  time  it  ceased,  by  the  schismatic  Grand  Lodge,  which 
then  had  as  its  Grand  Master  the  Duke  of  Kent,  and 
the  Grand  Lodge  of  London,  styled  by  these  schismatics 
"  Modern  Masons,7'  and  which  had  as  its  Grand  Master 
his  brother,  the  Duke  of  Sussex,  uniting  under  the  title 
of  the  "  United  Grand  Lodges  of  England."  In  this 
union  the  ancient  laws,  as  well  written  as  traditional,  were 
taken  as  the  basis,  and  the  spirit  that  influenced  the  or- 
ganization of  1717  was  recognized,  and  it  was  then  and 
there  announced  and  proclaimed  that  the  ancient  and 
true  Freemasonry  was  composed  of  but  three  degrees,  viz : 
Apprentice,  Fellow-craft,  and  Master  Mason.  Unhappily, 
however,  the  legitimate  Grand  Lodge  conceded  to  the 
party  self-styled  "Ancient  Masons,"  who  necessarily  had 
to  abandon  their  rite  of  seven  degrees,  a  division  of  the 
degree  of  Master  Mason  practiced  by  this  party,  and  taught 
as  a  supplementary  portion  of  this  degree,  under  the  name 

sudden  disappearance  from  the  town  of  his  residence  was  made  use  of 
by  what  was  then  in  this  country  a  lesser  political  party,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  increasing  its  strength  and  numbers,  by  raising  a  cry  against 
the  Freemasons,  and  branding  them  as  a  secret  society  which  stopped 
not  even  at  the  sacrifice  of  human  life  to  accomplish  its  purposes.  The 
cry  was  successful ;  the  life  of  Morgan  was  asserted  to  have  been  taken 
by  the  Freemasons,  and,  in  the  summer  of  1828,  the  body  of  a  drowned 
man  having  been  found  in  the  neighborhood  of  Morgan's  disappear- 
ance, it  made,  in  the  language  of  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  anti-masonic 
party  '  a  good  enough  Morgan  until  after  the  [then  pending  presiden- 
tial] election."  For  some  years  after  this  the  Fraternity  remained  in 
comparatively  a  dormant  condition;  but,  during  the  last  twenty-five 
years,  its  progress  has  been  as  rapid  and  its  ranks  as  united  as  its  mosi 
ardent  admirers  could  desire. — TRANSLATOR 


FREEMASONRY  IN  ENGLAND.  105 


of  Eoyal  Arch.  This  concession,  which  the  schismatic 
party  exacted  as  a  sine  qua  non  of  their  union  with  the 
legitimate  Grand  Lodge  and  surrender  of  their  rights  to 
that  body,  was  an  act  of  feebleness,  on  the  part  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  London,  which  has  destroyed,  in  a  great 
degree;  the  unity  and  the  basis  of  true  Masonry,  as  it  had 
been  practiced  by  that  body,  up  to  that  time,  with  a  laud- 
able firmness. 

If  English  Freemasonry  has  remained,  for  a  long  time, 
in  a  consumptive  condition,  and  has  not,  as  it  did  for  the 
first  century  of  its  existence,  continued  to  extend  its  civ- 
ilizing and  progressive  character,  it  has  practiced  always 
in  a  generous  manner  one  of  the  essential  dogmas  of  the 
institution  ;  viz.,  solidarity.  Among  the  numerous  benef- 
icent establishments  created  by  it,  we  may  particularly 
mention  three  which  are  due  to  the  efforts  of  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  London. 

1.  The  Royal  School  of  Freemasons  for  girls,  of  which 
the   capital  fund,   in   March,    1863,   amounted    to    about 
§145,000. 

2.  The  Royal  Masonic  Institute  for  the  sons  of  indigent 
Freemasons,  which  possessed,  at  the  same  date,  a  capital 
fund  of  over  §100,000. 

3.  The   Royal   Beneficiary  Institution   for   aged  Free- 
masons and  their  widows,  of  which  the  capital  was,  at  the 
same  date,  about  §75,000  for  the  men's  department,  and 
$35,000  for  that  of  the  women. 

After  having  recorded  the  most  important  events  in  the 
history  of  English  Freemasonry,  we  will  now  briefly  indi- 
cate the  composition  of  the  three  Grand  Lodges  and  their 
importance  as  Masonic  powers. 

The  Grand  Lodge  of  England  is  composed  of  a  Grand 
Master  and  his  deputy,  of  all  the  Past  Grand  Masters  and 
Provincial  Grand  Masters,  of  all  the  officers  of  the  Grand 
Lodge,  and  of  all  the  Past  and  Acting  Worshipful  Mas- 
ters. In  it  resides  the  legislative  and  judiciary  power  for 


106  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

jurisdiction  of  England  and  the  British  colonies.  A  gen- 
eral committee,  composed  of  twenty-four  masters  of  lodges, 
of  a  first  Professor  (Expert),  of  the  Grand  Master  and  his 
representative,  exercise  the  administrative  and  executive 
power.  The  decisions  are  made  hy  a  majority  of  votes. 
All  the  offices,  even  that  of  Grand  Master,  are  submitted 
to  an  annual  election.  The  Grand  Lodge  holds  quarterly 
communications  upon  the  first  Wednesday  of  the  months 
of  March,  May,  September,  and  December;  in  the  latter, 
the  election  for  Grand  Master  takes  place.  Charles,  Earl 
of  Zetland,  who  has  filled  the  office  of  Grand  Master  since 
1850,  has  been  re-elected  for  the  thirteenth  time  since  his 
first  nomination.  The  Earl  Grey  and  Bipon  is  the  Deputy 
Grand  Master. 

Under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  London 
there  are  sixty-three  Provincial  Grand  Lodges,  of  which 
forty-two  are  in  the  counties  of  England,  and  twenty-one 
are  elsewhere  in  British  possessions.  Under  these  there 
are  nine  hundred  and  eighty-nine  operative  lodges,  who 
report  themselves  in  the  manner  following :  Four  hundred 
and  ninety-one  in  the  counties,  one  hundred  and  fifty-four 
in  London,  one  hundred  and  forty-three  in  America,  twenty 
in  Africa,  eighty-seven  in  Asia,  eighty-three  in  Oceanica, 
and  fourteen  in  other  countries.  It  possesses  a  Grand 
Chapter  of  Royal  Arch  Masons — a  degree  which,  as  we 
have  stated,  comprehends  the  second  part  of  the  degree 
of  Master  Mason,  but  which  forms  really  a  fourth  degree, 
having  its  own  officers  and  its  special  meetings.  This 
Grand  Chapter  directs  two  hundred  and  eighty-seven 
operative  chapters  in  England  and  sixty-one  in  the  British 
possessions.  No  advantage  or  privilege  is  accorded  to  its 
members  in  the  ordinary  or  extraordinary  meetings  of  the 
Grand  Lodge. 

Independently  of  the  Grand  Chapter,  there  also  exists 
at  London,  but  having  no  connection  with  the  Grand 
Lodge,  a  Grand  Conclave  of  "High  Knights  Templar," 


FREEMASONRY  IN  ENGLAND.  107 

at  the  head  of  which  presides  the  brother  F.  "W.  Stuart. 
Neither  this  authority  nor  any  other  of  the  kind  are  recog- 
nized by  the  Grand  Lodge ;  they  are  the  remains  of  the 
systems  which  were  imported  from  France  to  England  by 
the  partisans  of  the  Stuarts,  and  by  whom  these  poisonous 
germs  have  been  introduced  into  the  body  of  English  Ma- 
sonry. 

The  Grand  Lodge  of  Scotland,  sitting  at  Edinburgh,  which 
has  for  its  Grand  Master  the  Duke  of  Athol,1  counts  under 
its  jurisdiction  thirty-eight  Provincial  Grand  Lodges,  and 
two  hundred  and  ninety-seven  operative  lodges  in  Scot- 
land and  elsewhere  in  British  possessions.  Like  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  London,  it  tolerates  the  Royal  Arch  Chapters, 
which  have  been  engrafted  upon  a  great  number  of  its 
lodges  from  the  time  that  the  schismatic  Grand  Lodge  at 
London  propagated  its  rite  of  the  Royal  Arch,  and  for 
the  direction  of  which  there  was  established,  in  1817,  a 
Supreme  Grand  Chapter;  but,  like  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
London,  it  does  not  accord  to  the  members  of  these  chap- 
ters the  least  privilege;  for,  like  the  lodges  which  consti- 
tute it,  the  Grand  Lodge  does  not  practice,  confer,  or 
recognize  but  the  three  symbolic  degrees. 

The  Grand  Lodge  of  Ireland,  held  at  Dublin,  of  which 
the  Duke  of  Leinster  is  the  Grand  Master,  has  under  its 
jurisdiction  ten  Provincial  Grand  Lodges,  with  three  hun- 
dred and  seven  operative  lodges  in  Ireland  and  other 
countries  outside  of  Great  Britain.  Independently  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  Ireland,  which  confers,  in  like  manner 
with  the  other  Grand  Lodges,  none  but  the  symbolic  de- 
grees, there  is  established,  at  Dublin,  a  Supreme  Council 
of  Rites,  founded  in  1836,  which  confers  all  the  "high" 
degrees  of  such  rites,  a  Grand  Royal  Arch  Chapter,  which 
is  under  the  direction  of  the  same  Grand  Master,  and 
constitutes,  like  those  of  England  and  Scotland,  operative 

George  Augustus  Frederick  John,  Duke  of  Athol,  died  ai,  Blair 
Castle,  his  residence,  on  the  16th  of  January,  1864. 


108  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

chapters  of  the  Royal  Arch  degree;1  also  a  Grand  Con- 
clave of  Knights  Templar;  but  these  three  authorities 
have  no  connection  with  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Ireland. 

The  three  Grand  Lodges  of  Great  Britain,  consequently, 
control  one  hundred  and  nine  Provincial  Grand  Lodges, 
with  one  thousand  five  hundred  and  ninety-seven  operative 
lodges  under  their  jurisdiction,  which  extend  their  con- 
nections to  every  part  of  the  globe. 

In  the  connection  of  its  moral  effects  and -civilizing  in- 
fluence, English  Freemasonry — we  say  it  with  sorrow — has 
made  but  slight  advances  in  the  last  half  century ;  while, 
as  we  have  seen,  it  was  once  the  active  pioneer  every-where. 
It  exercised  by  its  introduction  into  France  an  immense 
influence  upon  the  principles  of  1789,  and  started  the  de- 
velopment of  liberal  ideas  throughout  the  whole  of  Eu- 
rope; while  in  Oceanica,  Hindostan,  and  China  its  prin- 
ciples have  modified  the  religious  beliefs  of  the  sectaries 
of  Brahma,  of  the  Persians  and  the  Mussulmans,  of  whom 
are  composed  the  majority  of  the  lodges  founded  in  those 
countries ;  yet  to-day  the  Grand  Lodge  of  England,  like  its 
sisters,  those  of  Scotland  and  Ireland,  seems  satisfied  to  re- 
pose under  its  glories  of  the  past  and  rest  upon  its  laurels 


DENMARK. 

FREEMASONRY  was  introduced  into  the  capital  of  this 
kingdom,  in  1783,  by  the  Baron  of  Munich,  Secretary  of 
the  Ambassador  of  Russia,  who  organized  the  first  opera- 

1  Besides  these  three  grand  colleges,  all  conferring  a  species  of  high 
degrees,  there  is  in  Dublin,  to  complete  the  hierarchy,  a  Supreme  Coun- 
cil of  the  Scotch  Rite  of  Thirty-three  Degrees,  established  in  1808,  of 
which  the  Duke  of  Leinster  is  also  nominally  the  Grand  Master.  A 
similar  institution  is  established  at  Edinburgh,  founded  in  1846,  while  a 
'third  is  situated  at  London  since  1845.  At  the  head  of  the  last  are  the 
brethren  H.  B.  Leison,  Esq.,  and  Colonel  Vernon ;  but  these  authorities, 
not  being  recognized  as  Masonic,  are  of  very  little  importance  and  merely 
enjoy  a  vegetating  existence. 


FREEMASONRY   IN    DENMARK.  109 

tive  lodge,  under  the  name  of  "St.  Martins  Lodge." 
Shortly  afterward  several  others  were  established,  and,  in 
1749,  the  Grand  Lodge  of  London  there  constituted  a  Pro- 
vincial Grand  Lodge,  of  which  Count  Damekiold  Laurvig 
was  named  Grand  Master,  and  who,  in  1780,  erected  the 
same  into  a  Grand  Lodge  of  Denmark.  The  simplicity 
of  English  Masonry  had  to  give  way  here,  as  every-where 
else,  to  the  sj^stem  of  high  degrees,  which  had  invaded  all 
Europe  and  blinded  the  good  sense  of  the  brethren.  The 
system  of  Strict  Observance,  invented,  as  we  have  seen,  by 
the  Jesuits  in  France,  to  forward  the  interests  of  the  Stuart 
party,  was  introduced  by  the  Baron  of  Bulow  at  Copen- 
hagen, who  organized  there  a  prefectship,  or  commandery, 
having  for  Grand  Master  the  Duke  Ferdinand  of  Bruns- 
wick. After  the  Congress  of  Wilhelmsbad,  in  1782,  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  Denmark  abandoned  the  rite  of  "  Strict 
Observance,"  or  Templar  system;  but,  in  returning  to  the 
English  system,  besides  the  three  degrees  of  symbolic  Ma- 
sonry, she  preserved  of  the  abandoned  rite  two  degrees, 
those  of  Scottish  and  Past  Master.  Immediately  after 
this  reformation,  lodges  were  established  in  all  the  cities 
of  any  importance  in  the  kingdom,  and  even,  in  1785,  ex- 
tended to  the  Danish  colonies,  in  the  archipelago  of  the 
Antilles,  the  islands  of  St.  Croix  and  St.  Thomas. 

King  Christian  VIII,  after  having  named  the  landgrave, 
Charles  of  Hesse,  Grand  Master  for  life,  solemnly  recog- 
nized Freemasonry  by  an  official  act,  dated  2d  of  Novem- 
ber, 1792. 

At  the  death  of  the  landgrave  of  Hesse,  in  1836,  the 
Prince  Royal,  afterward  King  Christian  VIII,  declared 
himself  protector  and  Grand  Master.  In  1848,  the  Grand 
Mastership  passed  to  King  Frederick  VII,  under  whom 
Danish  Masonry  has  attained  a  very  flourishing  condition. 

The  intimate  connection  of  this  country  with  Sweden, 
where  the  Masonry  of  Swedenborg,  subsequently  that  of 
Zinnendorf,  had  taken  deep  root,  and,  at  an  early  period, 


110  GENERAL   HISTORY  OF   FREEMASONRY. 

manifested  a  religious  tendency  that  it  has  held  from  the 
first  in  a  remarkable  manner,  and  toward  which  evidently 
the  Masons  of  Copenhagen,  including  the  king,  have  in- 
clined, decided  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Denmark  to  adopt 
officially,  on  the  6th  of  January,  1855,  the  Swedish  rite, 
or  that  of  Zinnendorf,  of  seven  degrees,  and  to  enforce  its 
adoption  upon  all  the  lodges  under  its  jurisdiction. 

Danish  Masonry  enjoys  great  consideration  in  the  coun- 
try, and,  under  the  Grand  Mastership  of  the  reigning 
king,  prospers  from  day  to  day. 

In  1863,  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Denmark  exercised  juris- 
diction over  nine  operative  lodges,  of  which  four  are  in 
the  capital  and  five  in  the  provinces. 


SWEDEN. 

MASONRY  was  introduced  at  Stockholm  in  1736 ;  but  tha 
interdictions  pronounced  against  it  by  nearly  every  Euro- 
pean state  affected  in  a  similar  manner  the  Swedish  gov- 
ernment against  it,  and  the  Masonic  meetings  were  pro- 
hibited in  1758.  Nevertheless,  new  operative  lodges  were 
subsequently  established,  and,  in  the  year  1764,  a  provin- 
cial Grand  Lodge  for  Sweden  was  organized  at  Stock- 
holm. One  of  the  first  acts  of  the  Freemasons  of  this 
country  was  the  establishment  of  an  orphan  asylum, 
which  is  to-day  the  glory  and  crown  of  Swedish  Masonry. 
One  donation  of  §30,000,  which  was  made  it  by  Brother 
Bohmann,  permitted  it  to  be  greatly  enlarged.  As  else- 
where, the  true  Freemasonry  did  not  long  exist  in  this 
country  before  the  importation  from  France  of  the  Rite 
of  Perfection  of  twenty-five  degrees ;  but  the  progress  of 
this  rite  was  checked  by  the  crusade  entered  into  against 
the  system  of  Strict  Observance.  The  chivalrous  char- 
acter of  the  Templars,  from  the  first  approaches  of  that 
system,  met  none  of  the  favor  in  Sweden  it  had  enjoyed 


FREEMASONRY   IN   SWEDEN".  Ill 

in  France  and  Germany.  The  King,  Gustavus  III,  and 
his  brother,  the  Duke  of  Sudermanie,  were  initiated  in 
1770 ;  and  believing  the  statement  made  to  him  by  the 
officials  of  the  rite,  that  Sweden  was  the  first  country  into 
which  it  was  introduced,  the  king  undertook  to  re-estab- 
lish the  order  of  Knights  Templar.  He  was  named 
Grand  Master,  and  exercised  the  functions  of  that  office 
until  1780,  when  the  provincial  Grand  Lodge,  declaring 
itself  independent,  took  the  title  of  Grand  Lodge  of  Swe- 
den, and  the  king  designated  his  brother,  the  Duke  of 
Sudermanie,  to  replace  him  as  Grand  Master. 

The  importers  of  the  system  of  Strict  Observance  into 
Sweden — of  whom  history  has  not  preserved  the  names — 
deposited  in  the  archives  of  the  Grand  Chapter  of  the  sys- 
tem, at  Stockholm,  many  documents  which,  according  to 
them,  were  of  the  highest  importance  to  the  order  of  the 
Templars,  and  among  which  they  exhibited  a  will,  in  the 
Latin  language,  which  they  said  was  the  last  will  and  tes- 
tament of  Jaques  de  Molay,  the  last  Grand  Master ;  as  also 
an  urn,  said  to  contain  his  ashes,  collected,  according  to 
the  same  authority,  by  his  nephew,  the  Count  of  Beaujeu. 
These  statements  engaged  the  attention  of  the  Duke  of 
Brunswick,  who  had  been  nominated  at  this  time  Grand 
Master  of  the  system,  and  he  repaired  to  Sweden  to  exam- 
ine the  documents;  but  the  result  proved  satisfactory  in 
but  a  very  trifling  degree. 

The  King  Gustavus  had  in  the  beginning  favored  the 
establishment  of  the  system  of  the  Templars,  and  in  some 
degree  discouraged  the  lodges  practicing  the  English  rite; 
but,  having  immediately  discovered  the  secret  plans  which 
lay  hidden  under  the  system  of  Strict  Observance,  he  mis 
trusted  its  tendency ;  and  it  is  to  this  fact — thanks  to  the 
efforts  of  the  independent  Masonic  lodges  located  in  the 
country — that  he  afterward  successfully  confounded  the 
projects  of  the  Jesuits,  and  liberated  himself  from  the  tu- 
telage under  which  he  was  held  by  them.  Assassinated 


112  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

the  27tli  March,  1792,  his  son  succeeded  him,  under  the 
title  of  Gustavus  IV,  and  was  initiated,  though  yet  a  mi- 
nor, into  Masonry  upon  the  22d  March  of  the  year  follow- 
ing, after  he  had  renounced  his  right  to  the  throne.  His 
uncle,  the  Duke  of  Sudermanie,  already  Grand  Master  of 
Swedish  Freemasonry  since  1780,  succeeded  him,  under 
the  title  of  Charles  XIII,  and  exercised  the  Grand  Master- 
ship until  1811,  when  he  delegated  the  office  to  Prince 
Charles  Jean  Bernadotte. 

In  Sweden  the  endeavor  was,  as  it  also  was  in  Germany, 
to  discover  the  truth  in  relation  to  the  system  of  the  Tem- 
plars, of  which  the  chiefs  had  been  expelled  from  the  lat- 
ter country.  These  researches  wrought  in  the  system 
some  modifications,  which  were  due,  in  great  part,  to  one 
of  the  most  eminent  Masons  of  the  time — the  brother 
Swedenborg — intimate  councilor  of  the  king,  who  had 
introduced  religious  principles,  impressed  with  his  own 
mystical  creed,  and  which,  in  consequence,  has  imprinted 
upon  Swedish  Masonry  a  particular  character,  which  dis- 
tinguishes it  to  the  present  day. 

Beside  the  Templar  system  thus  transformed,  Zinneu- 
dorf,  surgeon-iu-chief  of  the  Swedish  army  at  Berlin,  and 
Grand  Prior  of  the  system  of  the  Templars,  having  aban- 
doned the  chiefs  of  the  rite  after  he  had  exposed  their  jug- 
gleries, established,  in  Sweden,  a  rite  of  seven  degrees, 
which  bears  his  name,  founded,  in  part,  upon  the  same 
religious  principles,  but  less  mystical  than  those  of  Swe- 
denborg. It  is  this  rite  that  now  is  found  to  predominate, 
and  is  known  in  Europe  as  the  Swedish  Rite,  or  Rite  of 
Zinnendorf. 

The  protection  of  the  king,  and  the  official  recognition 
of  Masonry  by  the  government,  in  1794,  has  given  to  the 
institution  in  Sweden  an  importance  which  it  does  not 
possess  elsewhere.  On  the  27th  May,  1811,  King  Charles 
XIII  founded  an  order  exclusively  for  meritorious  Free- 
masons, of  which  the  insignia  is  publicly  worn,  and  thus 


FREEMASONRY   IN   SWEDEN.  113 

proved  his  respect  for  the  institution.  The  foundation  of 
this  order,  created  from  a  noble  sentiment  that  greatly 
honored  the  king,  is,  nevertheless,  in  contradiction  to  the 
spirit  of  Freemasonry,  and  in  opposition  with  its  princi- 
ples. The  same  day  this  order  was  established,  the  king 
announced  as  his  successor  the  brother  Bernadotte,  Prince 
of  Ponte-Corvo,  and  the  announcement  was  sanctioned  by 
the  government,  and  he  was  proclaimed  at  the  same  time 
Grand  Master  of  Swedish  Masonry.  Since  coming  to  the 
throne,  in  1818,  the  new  king  delegated  the  Grand  Mas- 
tership to  his  son  Oscar,  Duke  of  Sudermanie,  subsequently 
Charles  John  XIV,  who  directs  in  person,  as  the  actual 
king,  (Charles  XV,)  the  Masonic  labors  of  the  Grand 
Lodge.  The  Grand  Lodge  of  Sweden  has  under  its  juris- 
diction three  provincial  Grand  Lodges,  with  twenty-four 
operative  lodges.  The  reigning  king  is  Grand  Master  in 
his  own  right. 


RUSSIA. 

IT  was  the  Grand  Lodge  of  London  that  established  the 
first  lodge  at  Moscow,  in  1731,  under  the  reign  of  the 
Empress  Anna  Ivanowa,  and,  for  the  purpose  of  constitut- 
ing others  in  the  country,  patented  John  Phillips,  Provin- 
cial Grand  Master.  Freemasonry  made  but  little  progress 
in  Russia,  and  it  was  not  until  the  year  1771  that  the 
first  lodge  was  organized  at  St.  Petersburg.  In  1772,  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  London  delivered  to  John  Yelaguine,  a 
Senator  and  Privy  Councilor,  a  patent  constituting  him 
Provincial  Grand  Master  for  Russia ;  and,  after  his  death, 
he  was  succeeded  by  the  Count  Roman  "Woronsow.  At 
this  time  the  lodges  increased  to  a  greater  extent  in  St. 
Petersburg  than  in  any  other  portion  of  the  empire,  the 
membership  belonging  in  great  part  to  the  nobility.  Un- 
der the  reign  of  Catherine  II,  it  would  have  been  difficult  to 
find  in  St.  Petersburg  a  noble  who  was  not  a  Freemason. 
8 


114  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

It  is  true  that  the  Empress  often  manifested  some  chagrin 
when,  often  finding  but  a  single  chamberlain  in  attendance 
upon  her,  she  inquired  for  such  and  such  a  one  whom  she 
missed,  and  was  told  that  he  had  gone  to  the  lodge  ;  but, 
nevertheless,  she  was  well  enough  disposed  toward  the 
fraternity  to  have  her  son,  Paul  I,  initiated  immediately 
upon  his  becoming  of  age. 

The  high  degrees,  and,  above  all,  those  of  the  system 
Strict  Observance,  had  invaded,  about  the  year  1775,  Rus- 
sian Masonry,  and  in  which  it  lacked  nothing  of  creating 
the  same  disorders  it  every-where  caused ;  for  many  of  the 
lodges,  professing  only  the  English  Rite,  had  no  desire  to 
accept  this  Templar  parody,  which  was  principally  the 
cause  of  the  interdiction  of  Freemasonry  in  1798. 

The  system  of  Strict  Observance,  under  the  patronage 
and  Grand  Mastership  of*  the  Duke  of  Brunswick,  had 
organized  at  St.  Petersburg  a  power,  under  the  title  of 
Grand  Lodge  of  the  Order  of  Vladimir,  which  pretended 
to  direct  all  the  lodges  of  Russia,  and  thus  came  in  conflict 
with  a  great  many  operative  lodges  which  practiced  only 
the  English  Rite. 

In  few  countries  did  Masonry  rise  to  the  splendor  it  at- 
tained under  Catharine  II,  for  the  Masonic  temples  at  St. 
Petersburg  were  indeed  palaces.  Many  beneficial  estab- 
lishments were  also  founded  by  her  directions  and  under 
her  patronage. 

During  the  sojourn  of  the  King  of  Sweden,  Gustavus 
III,  at  St.  Petersburg,  who,  in  his  own  country,  was  Grand 
Master  of  the  Templar  lodges,  or  lodges  of  the  system  of 
Strict  Observance,  the  lodges  of  this  system  gave  him  the 
most  superb  feasts,  at  which  he  assisted  with  his  whole 
suite,  composed  entirely  of  Freemasons. 

Notwithstanding  these  brilliant  appearances,  the  true 
Freemasonry,  so  far  from  making  corresponding  progress 
in  Russia,  had,  on  the  contrary,  degenerated  to  such  a 
point  that  the  Empress  Catharine  not  only  openly  ex- 


FREEMASONRY   IN   RUSSIA.  115 

pressed  her  discontent  thereat  to  the  gentlemen  of  her 
court,  in  respect  to  the  abuses  which  were  being  intro- 
duced, but  published  a  pamphlet  very  severe  in  its  strict- 
ures against  Freemasons.  This  pamphlet  has  been  trans- 
lated into  French  and  German. 

Such  was  the  situation  of  Masonry  in  Russia  upon  the 
accession  of  Paul  I  to  the  throne,  in  1796.  Although  he 
had  been  initiated,  this  prince  had  allowed  himself  to  be 
prevailed  upon  by  intriguants,  who  obtained  of  him  an 
interdiction,  under  the  most  severe  penalties,  of  Masonic 
assemblies,  as  well  as  those  of  all  other  secret  societies. 
Subsequently,  regarding  the  Order  of  Knights  of  the  Tem- 
ple as  the  true  possessors  of  Masonic  science,  he  desired 
to  re-establish  that  Order,  and,  in  fact,  in  the  object  of 
hastening  this  pretended  regeneration  of  Masonry,  he  had, 
the  16th  of  December,  1798,  taken  the  title  of  Grand 
Master  of  the  Order  of  Malta,  as  a  means  of  more  effect- 
ually accomplishing  his  purpose;  afterward,  however,  he 
renounced  the  project,  which  was,  in  fact,  otherwise  im- 
practicable. 

To  Paul  I,  assassinated  the  23d  of  March,  1801,  suc- 
ceeded Alexander  I.  At  first  he  confirmed  the  interdiction 
pronounced  by  his  predecessor  against  Freemasonry;  but, 
in  1803,  consequent  upon  a  circumstantial  report  which  he 
ordered  to  be  made  upon  the  object  and  principles  of  Free- 
masonry, he  revoked  it.  and  was  himself  initiated.  We 
have  been  unable  to  ascertain  the  exact  date  of  this  cere- 
mony, the  place,  or  the  lodge  in  which  it  took  place,  nor 
do  we  know  that  he  ever  took  any  part  in  the  labors  of 
the  Fraternity.  On  the  contrary,  although  he  never  re- 
stricted in  any  way  its  existence,  he  always  exhibited  a 
certain  degree  of  mistrust  in  the  institution. 

The  Grand  Lodge  of  Vladimir,  which,  with  the  opera- 
tive lodges  under  its  jurisdiction,  were  suspended  by  the 
interdiction  pronounced  by  Paul  I,  after  1803  awoke  to 
renewed  activity.  From  that  time  the  struggle  recom- 


116  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

menced.  The  lodges  of  the  English  system  established  a 
new  Masonic  code  for  all  the  lodges  of  Russia;  but  not 
wishing  to  recognize  certain  privileges  that  the  Grand 
Lodge  Vladimir  revindicated,  and  to  withdraw  forevei 
from  the  systematic  domination  of  it,  they  founded,  in 
1815,  another  Grand  Lodge,  under  the  title  of  "Astrca," 
of  which  the  rules  and  regulations  were  approved  by  the 
government,  and  which  from  that  time  directed  all  the 
lodges  of  Russia. 

Though  Freemasonry  had  not  greatly  extended,  it  ap- 
pears that  it  afforded  some  unquiet  to  the  Emperor  Alex- 
ander ;  for,  by  a  ukase,  dated  the  21st  of  August,  1821,  he 
interdicted  anew  all  Masonic  assemblies ;  and,  in  the  auto- 
graph rescript  that  he  addressed  to  his  minister  charged 
with  the  execution  of  this  ukase,  he  based  its  promulga- 
tion upon  the  assertion  that  the  lodges  occupied  themselves 
with  the  discussion  of  political  subjects. 

None  of  the  successors  of  Alexander,  who  died  in  1825, 
having  revoked  this  prohibition,  Masonry  remains  in  Rus- 
sia under  the  ban  of  this  interdiction. 


POLAND. 

IN  consequence  of  the  political  troubles  which  have  con- 
stantly agitated  it,  Freemasonry  has  never  attained  a  per- 
manent position  in  this  country. 

In  1839,  some  nobles,  resident  at  the  court  of  King 
Frederick  I,  established  a  lodge  at  Varsovia,  which  was 
shortly  dissolved  by  the  bull  of  Clement  XII;  but,  not- 
withstanding this  prohibition,  the  Count  Stanislaus  Mnis- 
zek,  Andrew  Mocranowski,  and  Constantine  Jablonowski 
founded,  at  Viennavitz,  in  Wolhania,  a  lodge,  in  which 
men  the  most  eminent  for  their  virtue  and  patriotism 
came  from  all  parts  of  Poland  to  be  initiated.  In  1744,  a 
French  lodge  was  organized  at  Lemberg,  by  a  man  named 


FREEMASONRY   IN   POLAND.  117 

Francis  Longchamps,  the  labors  of  which  were  subse- 
quently directed  by  another  Frenchman,  named  Colonel 
Jean  de  Thoux  de  Salverte.  After  many  vicissitudes, 
there  was  organized,  at  Varsovia,  on  the  24th  June,  1769, 
under  the  reign  of  Stanislaus  Augustus — who  protected 
Masonry — a  Grand  Lodge  of  Poland,  of  which  the  Count 
Augustus  Moszynski  was  nominated  Grand  Master.  This 
Grand  Lodge  organized  operative  lodges  at  Cracovia, 
Wilna,  and  Lemberg;  but,  after  the  first  division  of  Po- 
land, their  labors  were  interrupted. 

The  system  of  Strict  Observance  here,  as  elsewhere, 
soon  appeared,  and  established,  at  Varsovia,  a  Directory, 
under  the  authority  of  the  Duke  of  Brunswick.  Many 
French  lodges  were  also  established  at  Varsovia,  and, 
among  others — by  the  Grand  Orient  of  France — the  lodge 
"Perfect  Silence,"  which,  aspiring  to  the  title  of  Grand 
Lodge,  sought  to  win  to  its  direction  operative  lodges; 
afterward,  by  virtue  of  a  patent  delivered  to  it  by  the 
Grand  Orient  of  France,  and  dated  14th  May,  1781,  it 
proclaimed  itself  Mother  Lodge,  or  Grand  Lodge  of  Po- 
land. But  it  failed  in  its  project,  as  did  many  others, 
which  obtained,  for  this  purpose,  from  the  Grand  Lodges 
of  England  and  Germany,  patents,  constituting  them  legal 
powers,  for  which  the  necessity  was  recognized.  Finally, 
thirteen  lodges  united,  and,  on  the  26th  February,  1764, 
constituted  definitely  a  Grand  Orient  of  Poland,  by  vir- 
tue of  a  patent  delivered  to  them  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
England.  This  Lodge  was  installed  on  the  4th  of  the 
following  March,  and  chose  for  its  Grand  Master  the 
Count  Felix  Potoski.  Its  existence  was  of  short  dura- 
tion ;  for,  after  the  second  partition  of  Poland — which 
took  place  in  1784 — this  Grand  Lodge,  together  with  all 
the  operative  lodges  under  its  jurisdiction,  suspended  op- 
erations. 

The  Lodges  which  were  subsequently  established  in  the 
Grand  Duchy  of  Poland  were  then  organized,  under  the 


118  GENERAL   HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

Grand  Lodges  located  at  Berlin.  Finally,  on  the  22d 
March,  1810,  the  Grand  Orient  of  Poland  awoke  and  took 
charge  of  the  lodges  in  the  country.  The  political  events 
of  1813  but  slightly  modified  their  condition,  and  but  mo- 
mentarily interrupted  their  labors;  and,  in  1818,  we  find 
the  Grand  Orient  of  Poland  directing  the  labors  of  thirty- 
four  operative  lodges.  The  ukase  of  the  Emperor  Alex- 
ander, however,  struck  with  death  the  lodges  of  Poland, 
in  common  with  those  of  Russia,  and  since  that  time  (12th 
August,  1822,)  all  Masonic  labors  have  ceased  in  Poland. 

The  heroic  courage  with  which  our  Polish  brethren 
fought  for  their  liberty  and  their  nationality,  against  a 
despotism  the  most  arbitrary  and  revolting  that  any  power 
calling  itself  Christian  ever  exercised  against  a  civilized 
people,  has  acquired  for  them  the  sympathy  and  admira- 
tion of  the  Freemasons  of  the  whole  world. 


BELGIUM. 

THE  history  of  Freemasonry  in  Belgium  is  divided  into 
many  periods  :  that  during  which  Belgium  was  part  of  the 
low  country  of  Austria;  that  during  which  it  was  incor- 
porated in  the  Empire  of  France;  that  of  its  re-union 
with  Holland ;  and,  finally,  the  period  since  the  independ- 
ence of  Belgium  was  established.  This  was  the  first  con- 
tinental country  that  received  the  new  Freemasonry  of 
England.  The  first  lodge  was  instituted  at  Mons,  the  4th 
of  June,  1721,  under  the  title  of  "Perfect  Union,"  by  the 
Duke  of  Montague,  then  Grand  Master  of  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  London.  It  was  this  lodge  that  was  subse- 
quently erected  into  an  English  Grand  Lodge  for  the  low 
countries  of  Austria ;  but,  in  1785,  it  shared  the  fortunes 
of  all  other  Austrian  lodges  by  the  edict  of  the  Emperor 
Joseph  I. 

Another  lodge  was  established,  in  1730,  at  Gand,  under 


FREEMASONRY   IN   BELGIUM.  119 

the  Austrian  direction.     In   common  with   other  lodges 

O 

organized  about  the  same  time,  in  consequence  of  the  per- 
secutions of  the  Catholic  clergy,  who  were  armed  with 
the  bulls  of  excommunication  launched  at  Freemasons  by 
the  popes,  it  labored  in  the  most  profound  secrecy.  The 
membership  of  these  lodges  were,  in  most  part,  composed 
of  the  nobility,  animated,  in  a  great  degree,  by  the  demo- 
cratic tendencies  of  that  period,  and  seeking  to  extend 
the  principles  of  political  liberty  among  the  people.  The 
most  zealous  patriots  were  to  be  found  at  the  head  of  the 
lodges — many  of  the  clergy  themselves,  who  then  were 
liberal,  exhibiting  a  strong  partisan  trait  for  Masonry. 
To  such  a  degree  was  this  feeling  expressed,  that  even  the 
Bishop  of  Liege,  and  many  of  his  ecclesiastics,  were  in- 
itiated into  and  directed  the  labors  of  the  lodges.  The 
Duke  of  Aremberg,  the  Duke  of  Ursel,  the  princes  of  Ligue 
and  of  Gavre,  all  took  a  very  active  part  in  the  labors  of 
Masonry.  At  one  time  fifteen  lodges  were  in  operation ; 
but,  unhappily,  the  political  manifestations  of  the  popula- 
tion of  the  low  countries  of  Austria  caused,  in  1785  and 
in  1786,  the  Emperor  Joseph  I  to  interdict  Masonic  assem- 
blies, though  elsewhere — in  Brussels,  for  instance — he  per- 
mitted the  lodges  to  continue  their  labors.  In  1787,  how- 
ever, he  ordered,  by  a  new  edict,  that  all  the  lodges  in  the 
empire,  without  exception,  be  closed,  under  the  most  se- 
vere penalties, 

When  Belgium  was  incorporated  into  the  French  Em- 
pire, the  Belgian  lodges — w^hich  at  that  time,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  edict  of  1787,  were  in  a  state  of  suspended 
animation — were  ordered  to  place  themselves  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  Grand  Orient  of  France ;  and,  from  that 
time,  Masonry  in  Belgium  became  an  integral  part  of  that 
of  France,  which  there  organized  some  twenty-two  lodges. 
In  1814,  there  were  in  Belgium,  in  active  operation, 
twenty-seven  lodges,  which,  after  the  re-union  of  Belgium 
with  Holland,  for  three  years  vainly  endeavored  to  erect 


120  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

a  central  authority  at  Brussels.  Finally,  Prince  Freder- 
ick, of  the  Low  Countries,  second  son  of  the  king — who, 
after  the  enfranchisement  of  Holland,  had  therein  consti- 
tuted a  new  Grand  Orient — proposed  to  the  Belgian  lodges 
the  creation  of  two  independent  Grand  Lodges,  which 
should  direct  all  the  operative  lodges,  each  having  its  own 
administration  and  particular  jurisdiction :  the  one  to  be 
located  at  the  Hague,  to  exercise  jurisdiction  over  all  the 
northern  lodges  and  those  of  the  East  Indies ;  the  other 
having  its  seat  at  Brussels,  to  direct  the  southern  lodges 
and  those  of  the  West  Indies — the  Grand  Orient  of  Hol- 
land, thus  divided  into  three  sections,  to  form  a  Supreme 
Council,  whose  object  would  be  to  take  cognizance  of  all 
the  great  principles  affecting  Freemasonry  in  general,  etc. 

This  treaty  of  union  was  concluded  in  1817,  and  the 
installation  of  the  Provincial  Grand  Lodge  at  Brussels  took 
place  on  the  llth  April,  1818,  at  which  time  Prince  Fred- 
erick was  elected  Grand  Master  of  the.  three  independent 
Grand  Lodges,  and  named,  as  his  representatives,  Brother 
Falk,  Minister  of  State,  for  the  Provincial  Grand  Lodge  of 
the  Hague,  and  the  Prince  of  Gavre  for  that  of  Brussels. 

From  this  time  the  history  of  Belgian  Freemasonry  is 
confounded  with  that  of  Freemasonry  in  Holland.  We 
will  only  add  that  from  1817  to  1832,  s'trenuous  attempts 
were  made  to  establish  in  Belgium,  particularly  at  Brus- 
sels, the  different  systems  of  high  degrees. 

The  separation  of  Belgium  from  Holland — which  took 
place  in  1831 — modified  anew  the  condition  of  Masonry 
in  the  former  countiy.  The  provincial  Grand  Lodge  of 
Brussels  becoming,  by  the  separation,  isolated  from  the 
Grand  Orient  of  Holland,  invited,  by  a  circular,  dated  the 
16th  of  December,  1832,  all  the  lodges  of  the  new  king- 
dom to  recognize  it  as  an  independent  authority,  to  unite 
under  its  recognition,  and  to  send  up  their  delegates  to  a 
general  assembly  convoked  for  the  25th  of  February,  1833. 
Only  four  lodges,  however,  were  represented ;  but  the  dele- 


FREEMASONRY   IN   BELGIUM.  121 

gates  present,  nevertheless,  decided  to  declare  the  provin- 
cial Grand  Lodge  of  the  Low  Countries  dissolved,  and  to 
constitute  in  its  place  a  Grand  Orient  of  Belgium.  This 
ne\v  authority,  placed  under  the  protection  of  the  king, 
Leopold  I — himself  a  Freemason — succeeded  in  uniting 
under  its  jurisdiction,  but  not  without  difficulty,  all  the 
lodges  of  Belgium  except  four,  which  were  then  declared 
irregular.  On  the  1st  May,  1835,  the  Baron  of  Stassart 
was  nominated  Grand  Master. 

The  flourishing  condition  of  Masonry,  and  the  influence 
that  its  members  were  exercising  over  all  classes  of  society, 
provoked  the  hate  of  the  Catholic  clergy,  who  recom- 
menced their  persecutions;  and  the  Bishop  of  Malines,  in 
1837,  published  a  sentence  of  excommunication — a  strange 
proceeding  in  our  day — against  all  the  Belgian  Freemasons. 
The  struggle  became  more  and  more  lively,  and  the  Cath- 
olic party,  of  whom  the  "Journal  of  Belgium"  is  the  or- 
gan, surpassed  the  part  it  took  in  the  revolution  of  1830, 
in  its  pretentious  to  rule  the  country,  and  exhibit  the  in- 
tolerance that  elsewhere  and  always  is  exhibited  in  seasons 
of  triumph  by  this  party. 

The  Masonic  lodges,  pursued,  excommunicated,  tor- 
mented, in  their  material  interests  and  social  position,  al- 
most up  to  the  family  hearth-stones,  by  their  implacable 
enemies,  who  sought  to  drive  to  destitution  the  President 
of  the  Senate  and  the  Governor  of  Brussels  himself,  be- 
cause of  their  adherence  to  Freemasonry,  though  the  king 
himself  was  known  to  be  a  member  of  the  institution, 
were  constrained  to  take  an  attitude,  through  their  Grand 
Orient,  which  was  no  less  an  exhibition  of  dignity  and 
moderation  than  it  was  of  strength.  They  opposed  uni 
versa!  liberty  to  universal  Romanism,  free  publications  and 
loyal  to  anathemas,  and  the  preaching  of  the  eternal  truth 
of  their  faith  to  the  intolerance  of  a  theocratic  ambition. 
By  this  course  the  Freemasons  finally  triumphed. 

To  brother,  the  Baron  of  Stassart,  who  abdicated  in  1841, 


122  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

succeeded  Brother  Defacqz  d'Ath,  Counselor  to  the  Court 
of  Appeals,  and  to  him  succeeded,  in  1854,  the  brother 
Theo.  Verhregen,  Advocate  and  President  of  the  Chamber 
of  Representatives. 

The  new  Grand  Master,  seeing  the  institution  over 
which  he  was  called  to  preside  the  constant  object  of  the 
attacks  of  obscure  politicians,  backed  by  the  clergy,  in- 
sisted, in  a  discourse  pronounced  upon  St.  John's  day, 
1854,  and  which  reflected  the  profound  convictions  and 
eminent  talents  of  the  distinguished  speaker,  that  there 
existed  an  absolute  necessity  for  Freemasonry  to  oppose 
itself  more  and  more  energetically  to  the  antagonistic 
party,  and  discuss  within  its  lodges  such  religious  and  po- 
litical questions  as  affected  the  condition  of  the  country; 
and,  for  this  purpose,  that  the  regulations  of  the  Grand 
Orient  be  so  amended  as  to  repeal  the  laws  forbidding 
such  discussion  to  take  place  within  the  lodges.  His  ad- 
vice was  approved  by  all  the  brethren  who  assisted  at  the 
feast,  and  they  decided  to  publish  his  discourse.  This 
declaration,  consequently,  being  printed  and  promulgated, 
provoked  the  protest  of  a  portion  of  the  Grand  Lodges 
of  Germany,  and  also  that  of  Sweden,  who  not  only 
ceased,  in  consequence  of  this  manifestation,  all  connection 
with  the  Grand  Orient  of  Belgium,  but  even  prohibited 
their  operative  lodges  from  receiving  Belgian  Masons. 

This  movement  was  attended  by  another  deplorable 
consequence.  The  chiefs  of  the  Supreme  Council  of  the 
Scottish  (33d)  Rite,  located  at  Brussels — a  rival  authority 
of  the  Grand  Orient — and  some  lodges  under  the  jurisdic- 
tion of  the  latter  body,  protested  against  the  new  inter- 
pretation of  the  principles  and  the  rights  of  Freemasons, 
as  inculcated  by  the  Grand  Master  Verhsegan,  and  made 
it  the  occasion  of  their  passing  over  to  the  jurisdiction  of 
the  Supreme  Council.  This  factionist  condition  has  re- 
mained nearly  the  same  up  to  the  present  time. 

The  statutes  of  the  Grand  Orient,  promulgated  the  19th 


FREEMASONRY  IN  HOLLAND.  123 

of  January,  1838,  contained  but  fifteen  articles,  and  made 
no  mention  of  any  other  style  of  Masonry  except  that  of 
the  three  symbolic  degrees.  Each  lodge  of  the  union  ia 
represented  by  three  delegates,  who  in  general  assemblies 
exercise  the  legislative  power.  The  Grand  Orient  of  Bel- 
gium exercises  jurisdiction  over  sixty  operative  lodges 
while  the  Supreme  Council  of  the  Scottish  (33d)  Rite, 
which  was  instituted  the  1st  of  March,  1817,  and  had  for 
a  long  time  a  precarious  existence,  now  counts  thirteen 
lodges  within  its  jurisdiction.  These  two  authorities  hold 
their  meetings  in  the  same  city,  Brussels. 


HOLLAND. 

THIS  country  was  for  a  long  time  preserved  from  the  in- 
novations due  to  intriguing  politicians  and  other  schemers, 
who  every-where  have  provoked  deplorable  schisms  in  the 
Masonic  ranks;  nevertheless  it  finally  had  to  submit  to 
the  consequences  of  allowing  the  English  Rite,  which  wag 
for  years  the  only  one  known,  to  be  encroached  upon  by 
those  anti-masonic  productions  which  have  denaturalized 
our  beautiful  institution,  and  which,  in  place  of  hastening 
us  forward  to  the  goal  of  its  ideal,  have  but  advanced  that 
goal  farther  from  us. 

A  lodge  was  founded  at  the  Hague,  in  1725,  composed 
of  the  elite  of  Dutch  society;  but  the  clergy,  ever  hostile 
to  Freemasons,  not  having  permitted  it  to  be  openly  con- 
stituted, its  labors  during  many  years  were  conducted  in 
the  most  profound  secrecy;  and  it  was  not  until  1731, 
when  Lord  Stanhope,  Duke  of  Chesterfield,  was  English 
embassador  at  the  court  of  William,  Prince  of  Orange, 
that  it  was  officially  constituted.  This  lodge  owed  its  ex- 
istence to  Brother  Vincent  de  la  Chappela,  who  had  been 
authorized  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  it  by  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  England.  It  was  by  it  that  the  Emperor  Francis 
I,  then  Duke  of  Lorraine,  was  initiated. 


124  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

In  1834,  many  lodges  united  in  a  general  assembly  for 
the  purpose  of  regularly  organizing  Freemasonry  in  Hol- 
land, by  constituting  a  provincial  Grand  Lodge.  This 
Grand  Lodge,  of  which  the  Count  of  Wagenaer  was  pro- 
posed as  provincial  Grand  Master,  after  having  been  regu- 
larly patented  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  England,  was  inau- 
gurated in  1735,  in  an  assembly  held  at  the  hotel  of 
Niewe-Doelen,  under  the  presidency  of  the  titulary  pro- 
vincial Grand  Master,  Brother  John  Cornelius  Radema- 
cher.  It  took  the  title  "Grand  Masters'  Lodge  of  Gen- 
eral Appeal  for  the  United  Provinces ;"  and,  in  1749,  it 
took  the  name  of  "  Mother  Lodge  of  the  Royal  Union." 

Another  lodge,  founded  in  1734  at  the  Hague,  and  com 
posed'  of  eminent  men,  announced,  in  the  public  newspa- 
pers of  the  24th  October,  1735,  a  Masonic  assembly  which 
would  be  presided  over  by  the  new  provincial  Grand 
Master  Rademacher ;  but  the  magistracy  of  the  Hague, 
on  the  30th  of  the  following  November,  issued  an  ordi- 
nance interdicting  all  such  assemblies. 

Notwithstanding  this  prohibition,  a  lodge  of  Amster- 
dam, which  numbered  among  its  members  the  most  em- 
inent men  in  the  city,  dared  to  continue  its  labors.  The 
Catholic  clergy,  by  the  aid  of  calumnious  reports,  suc- 
ceeded in  stirring  up  the  ignorant  class  of  the  people 
against  it;  and  its  place  of  meeting  being  invaded  by  a 
crowd  of  those  fanatics,  they  burned  the  property  of  the 
lodge  and  exhibited  otherwise  a  disposition,  upon  any  re- 
sistance being  offered,  to  proceed  to  the  most  violent 
measures.  The  general  government,  with  the  object  of 
preventing  a  recurrence  of  such  action,  intervened  and 
prohibited  Masonic  assemblies.  One  lodge,  having,  in  de- 
fiance of  this  prohibition,  continued  to  meet,  it  was  sur- 
rounded, by  the  order  of  the  magistrac}7,  and  its  mem- 
bers captured  and  imprisoned.  The  master  of  the  lodge 
and  his  officers,  when  brought  before  the  court,  explained 


FREEMASONRY  IN  HOLLAND.  125 

so  clearly  the  object  and  principles  of  the  institution,  that 
they  were  immediately  set  at  liberty,  and  all  the  judges 
of  the  tribunal  solicited  the  honor  of  being  initiated. 
Since  that  time,  a  great  many  lodges  have  been  established 
in  the  country ;  but,  in  1746,  new  persecutions,  on  the 
part  of  the  Catholic  clergy,  forced  the  lodges  of  the 
Hague,  Nimegue,  and  Amsterdam  to  demand  the  inter- 
vention of  the  general  government,  which  obliged  the 
clergy  to  retract  their  calumnies. 

The  Holland  lodges — which  held  their  constitutions, 
some  from  the  Grand  Lodge  of  England,  and  others  from 
those  of  Germany  and  France — existed  isolated  from  and 
independent  of  the  provincial  Grand  Lodge  created  in 
1735.  With  the  object  of  a  more  intimate  union,  the 
lodge  styled  "Royal  Union"  convoked  a  general  assem- 
bly, which  was  attended,  on  the  27th  December,  1756,  by 
representatives  from  thirteen  lodges,  and  then  and  there 
organized,  under  the  patronage  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
London,  a  Grand  Lodge  for  the  United  Provinces,  of 
which  the  Baron  Van  Aersen  Beyeren  was  nominated 
provincial  Grand  Master. 

This  Grand  Lodge  proclaimed,  the  following  year,  its 
general  statutes  in  forty-one  articles.  In  1770  it  declared 
itself  independent;  and,  by  virtue  of  an  agreement  with 
the  Grand  Lodge  of  London,  it  took  the  title  of  Grand 
Lodge  of  Holland,  and  notified  all  the  Grand  Lodges  of 
Europe  of  the  fact.  It  at  once  organized  a  provincial 
Grand  Lodge,  at  Brussels,  for  the  low  countries  of  Aus- 
tria, and  nominated  the  Marquis  of  Gages  provincial 
Grand  Master;  but  this  lodge  was  obliged,  in  1789,  in 
consequence  of  the  edict  of  the  Emperor  Joseph  I,  to 
suspend  active  operations.  After  the  removal  of  this  in- 
terdiction, in  1798,  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Holland  decreed, 
on  the  17th  May  of  that  year,  a  new  administrative  code, 
according  to  which  it  ruled  only  the  three  symbolic  de- 


126  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

grees,  and  intrusted  a  special  ch.ipter,  directed  by  the 
Grand  Master,  Baron  Van  Teylingen,  with  the  conference 
of  the  other  degrees  of  its  rite. 

In  1810,  by  the  aid  of  the  subscriptions  made  up  by  the 
Holland  lodges,  an  asylum  for  the  blind  was  instituted  at 
Amsterdam. 

After  the  union  of  Holland  with  the  French  Empire, 
in  1811,  the  existence  of  the  Grand  Orient  of  Holland 
was  attacked  and  compromised,  by  the  Grand  Orient  of 
France  assuming  to  extend  its  authority  over  all  the  Ma- 
sons and  all  the  Masonic  institutions  of  Holland.  To  the 
decree  published  by  it  on  the  3d  March,  1812,  the  Grand 
Orient  of  Holland  responded,  on  the  21st  of  the  same 
month,  in  a  manner  so  dignified  that  the  Grand  Orient 
of  France  renounced  its  project  of  assumption,  and  the 
Grand  Orient  of  Holland  continued  its  jursdiction  as  be- 
fore, save  that  the  nine  operative  lodges,  instituted  by  the 
Grand  Orient  of  France  at-  Amsterdam  and  the  Hague, 
remained,  from  1812  to  1814,  under  the  jurisdiction  of 
the  latter. 

At  the  time  of  the  events  of  1814,  which  changed  anew 
the  position  of  Freemasonry  in  Holland,  the  Grand  Orient 
had  under  its  jurisdiction,  in  Holland  and  the  two  Indies, 
seventy-one  operative  lodges.  The  direction  of  the  lodges 
of  the  Low  Countries  having  been  offered  to  it,  the  Grand 
Orient  proposed,  in  1814,  a  treaty  of  union  among  all  the 
northern  and  southern  lodges  of  the  Low  Countries,  for 
the  purpose  of  organizing  a  Grand  Lodge  for  that  king- 
dom, with  the  Provincial  Grand  Lodges,1  of  which  the  one 
should  be  located  at  the  Hague,  and  comprising  within  its 
jurisdiction  all  the  northern  lodges,  together  with  those 
iu  the  East  Indies;  and  the  other  should  be  located  at 
Brussels,  to  take  charge  of  all  the  southern  lodges  of  the 
kingdom,  together  with  those  of  the  West  Indies.  Of  the 
latter,  Prince  Frederick  was  elected  Grand  Master,  and 

'See  Masonry  in  Belgium,  ante. 


FREEMASONRY  IN  HOLLAND.  127 

the  Minister  of  State,  Brother  Falk,  Grand  Master  of  the 
former. 

In  1819,  Prince  Frederick  sent  to  all  the  lodges  of  Eu- 
rope copies  of  two  documents  found  in  the  papers  of  the 
defunct  Grand  Master  Boetzelaar.  The  first  of  these  docu- 
ments is  a  species  of  charter,1  dated  at  Cologne,  the  24th 
of  June,  1535,  and  signed  by  nineteen  persons,  bearing 
illustrious  names,  and  who  therein  are  presented  as  dele- 
gates from  nineteen  Masonic  lodges  of  different  countries 
in  Europe.  The  second  is  the  record-book  of  the  meetings 
of  a  lodge  which,  according  to  it,  should  have  existed  at 
the  Hague  in  1637,  and  whose  date  of  organization  is  8th 
May,  1519.  These  documents,  particularly  the  charter, 
have  been  submitted  to  the  examination  of  learned  Free- 
masons, some  of  whom  have  pronounced  them  authentic, 
while  others  have  decided  that  both  documents  have  been 
produced  for  some  purpose  best  known  to  the  manufactur- 
ers. The  latter  decision  seems  to  be  best  supported. 

The  lodges  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Grand  Orient 
of  the  Low  Countries  numbered,  in  1820,  one  hundred  and 
five,  of  which  forty-five  in  Holland,  and  fourteen  in  the 
East  Indies,  were  borne  upon  the  register  of  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  the  northern  provinces  at  the  Hague ;  and  thirty- 
two  in  Holland,  and  fourteen  in  the  West  Indian  colonies, 
on  that  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  southern  provinces 
at  Brussels.  The  number  of  operative  lodges  organized 
from  that  time  to  1829  augmented  the  foregoing  by  thirty- 
one  lodges,  thus  making  the  total  number  one  hundred 
and  thirty-six. 

The  events  of  1830  changed  anew  the  Masonic  organ- 
ization in  Holland,  placing  it  as  we  found  it  in  1818;  and 
the  Grand  Orient  of  Holland  took  under  its  direction  the 
lodges  of  the  new  Dutch  territory  and  the  Dutch  colonies 
in  the  two  Indies.  As  in  the  past,  it  continues  to  fill  with 
dignity,  under  its  noble  chief,  Prince  Frederick  William 

*See  General  History  of  Freemasonry,  p.  51. 


128  GENERAL    HISTORY  OF   FREEMASONRY. 

Charles,  the  position  that  it  occupies  as  one  of  the  most 
ancient  departments  of  Freemasonry  in  Europe. 

The  Grand  Orient  of  Holland  at  present  directs,  in  all, 
the  labors  of  sixty-seven  operative  lodges,  of  which  about 
twenty  are  in  the  East  and  West  Indies. 


GERMANY. 

must  give  the  history  of  Freemasonry  in  this  vast 
country,  which  contains  an  empire,  five  kingdoms,  and 
twenty-one  principalities,  in  a  manner  more  succinct  than 
that  of  any  other  of  the  States  of  Europe.  We  will  com- 
mence, therefore,  by  speaking  of  that  city  which,  of  all 
others  in  Germany,  was  the  first  in  which  Freemasonry 
took  root. 

Hamburg. — On  the  3d  of  December,  1737,  the  first  Ma- 
eonic  lodge  in  Germany,  under  the  English  dispensation, 
was  established  in  this  city.  It  was  named  "Absalom 
Lodge,"  and  was  placed  under  the  direction  of  Brother 
Charles  Sarey.  On  the  30th  of  October,  1740,  this  lodge 
was  raised,  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  England,  to  the  rank 
of  the  Provincial  Grand  Lodge  of  Hamburg  and  Lower 
Saxony,  and  having  for  its  Grand  Master,  Brother  Lutt- 
man.  It  was  by  a  deputation  of  this  lodge  that  the  Prince 
Frederick  of  Prussia,  subsequently  Frederick  II,  was  in- 
itiated, in  1738,  at  Brunswick — a  circumstance  that  has 
contributed  much  to  the  propagation  of  Freemasonry  in 
Germany.  From  Hamburg,  Freemasonry  passed,  in  1738, 
to  Dresden;  in  1740,  to  Berlin;  in  1741,  to  Leipsic;  in 
1744,  to  Brunswick,  and  in  1746,  to  Hanover.  The  Pro- 
vincial Grand  Lodge  established  up  to  1795  but  five  lodges, 
and  in  that  year  these  united  in  founding  a  hospital  for 
house  servants,  and,  subsequently,  created  a  fund  for  the  re- 
lief of  foreign  brethren  who  might  require  it.  This  Grand 
Lodge  had  extended  its  jurisdiction,  in  1807,  over  sixteen 
lodges,  all  working  the  English  Kite  and  remaining  faith- 


FREEMASONRY  IN  GERMANY.  129 

ful  to  its  mother  lodge  of  London.  In  this  respect  it 
shone  as  a  bright  example  of  fidelity  in  comparison  to 
other  Provincial  Grand  Lodges,  which,  although  estab- 
lished under  like  circumstances  and  by  the  same  authority, 
generally  took  the  first  favorable  opportunity  to  become 
independent  of  the  authority  that  created  them.  It  was 
uot  until  the  year  1811  that  the  Provincial  Grand  Lodge 
of  Hamburg  decided  to  assert  its  independence.  To-day 
it  directs  a  Provincial  Grand  Lodge  and  twenty-one  oper- 
ative lodges,  all  practicing  the  English  Rite,  together  with 
a  chapter,  created  by  Shrceder,  who  was,  during  many 
years,  its  Grand  Master. 

Prussia. — The  "Lodge  at  the  Three  Globes,"  in  Berlin, 
composed  of  French  artists,  was  constituted  on  the  23d  of 
September,  1740.  This  was  the  first  lodge  established  at 
that  time.  On  the  24th  of  June,  1744,  Prince  Frederick 
elevated  it  to  the  rank  of  a  Grand  Lodge,  under  the  title 
of  "Royal  Grand  Mother  Lodge."  He  was,  as  a  natural 
consequence,  elected  Grand  Master,  and  filled  the  office 
as  such  until  1747,  from  which  date  he  ceased  to  take  any 
part  in  Masonic  labors. 

This  mother  lodge  suffered  itself  to  be  from  an  early 
period  invaded  by  the  high  degrees  of  the  rite  of  "  Per- 
fection," as  also  by  those  of  the  rite  "  Strict  Observance." 
In  1773,  desiring  to  organize  a  lodge  whose  membership 
would  be  composed  entirely  of  the  nobility,  it  requested 
permission  to  do  so  from  the  king,  Frederick  II,  but  was 
refused.  Such  an  institution  could  no  better  carry  out  the 
object  of  Masonry  than  those  which  were  charged  with 
the  propagation  of  its  doctrines. 

Although,  like  Hamburg,  some  parts  of  Germany  had 
received  Masonry  direct  from  England,  and  the  lodges 
thus  constituted  worked  the  English  Rite,  others  had  re- 
ceived it  by  the  intermediation  of  France.  The  institu- 
tion soon  extended  in  a  most  extraordinary  manner.  The 
9 


130  GENERAL   HISTORY  OF   FREEMASONRY. 

lodges  there,  finding  themselves  composed,  in  great  part, 
of  the  nobility  and  men  devoted  to  art  and  the  sciences, 
having  a  weakness  for  the  French  language,  many  of  them 
conducted  their  labors  in  that  language,  and,  for  the  most 
part,  even  took  French  names.  This  tendency  favored 
the  introduction  into  the  German  lodges  of  the  high  de- 
grees which  the  officers  of  the  army  of  Broglie  had  im- 
ported from  France;  and  it  is  from  this  period  these  innu- 
merable follies  which  culminated  in  the  introduction  of  the 
Templar  system  may  be  dated.  It  was  not  until  after  the 
Congress  of  Wilhclmsbad  that  these  disorders  ceased.  The 
discussions  which  took  place  in  that  assembly  broke  the 
chains  of  the  Templar  hierarchy,  believed  to  be  so  firmly 
riveted  by  the  Jesuits,  and  relieved  the  fraternity  in  ail 
Germany  from  their  drunken  enthusiasm  for  the  systems 
of  high  degrees. 

In  no  country  had  the  Templar  system  been  extended 
so  generally  as  in  Germany.  Nearly  all  the  lodges  had 
adopted  it,  under  the  belief  that  its  object  was  the  re- 
establishment  of  the  ancient  Order  of  Knights  Templar. 
The  most  elevated  classes  of  society  and  people  the  most 
honorable,  among  whom  were  the  greater  portion  of  the 
nobility,  became  its  partisans,  notwithstanding  the  doubts 
which  were  thrown  out  of  the  sincerity  of  the  assertions 
of  its  chief  officials.  Twenty-six  princes  of  Germany  had 
been  initiated  into  those  degrees,  and  thus  became  pro- 
moters more  or  less  zealous ;  while  many  of  them  took 
position  at  the  head  of  the  Templar  Order  in  their  respect- 
ive States. 

Since  Frederick  the  Great,  all  his  successors  have  been 
Freemasons,  or  have  declared  themselves  in  favor  and  the 
protectors  of  Freemasonry.  Frederick  William  III,  who 
had  been  initiated,  confirmed  and  recognized  from  the 
throne,  in  1798,  the  three  Grand  Lodges  of  Berlin.  At 
the  second  Congress  of  Vienna,  in  1833,  when  Austria  and 
Bavaria  demanded,  in  terms  not  in  any  wise  equivocal,  the 


FREEMASONRY  IN  GERMANY.  131 

extermination  of  the  society  of  Freemasons,  this  king  de- 
clared that  they  were  and  always  should  be  in  his  king- 
dom, under  his  protection;  and,  by  his  warm  defense  of 
the  institution,  he  prevented  the  other  powers  represented 
at  this  congress  from  exhibiting  any  leaning  towards  the 
project  of  extermination  advanced  by  the  two  powers  just 
named. 

It  was  by  his  desire  and  with  his  consent  that  the 
present  king,  William  I,  proclaimed  himself,  during  his 
life,  protector  of  Masonry  in  Prussia.  The  latter,  without 
partaking  of  the  favorable  opinion  of  the  institution  en- 
tertained by  his  father,  imitated  him,  as  well  from  politi- 
cal motives  as  to  continue  the  custom  consecrated  by  his 
predecessors  of  the  royal  family,  in  consenting  that  his 
son,  the  prince  royal  Frederick  William,  should  be  ini- 
tiated and  should  represent  Prussian  Masonry.  This  ini- 
tiation took  place  on  the  5th  of  November,  1853.  The 
principles  of  this  prince  are  known  to  be  at  variance,  how- 
ever, with  those  of  his  father. 

The  three  Prussian  Grand  Lodges  located  at  Berlin 
have  each  founded  some  humanitarian  establishments  in 
favor  of  Freemasons  and  their  families. 

The  Grand  Lodge  at  the  Three  Globes  has  under  ito  ju- 
risdiction ninety-nine  operative  lodges. 

The  National  Grand  Lodge  of  Germany,  founded  in 
1773,  registers  under  its  jurisdiction  sixty-seven  operative 
lodges. 

The  Royal  York  Grand  Lodge,  founded  in  1798,  regis- 
ters twenty-seven  operative  lodges  under  its  jurisdiction. 

Each  of  these  three  Grand  Ledges  has  its  Grand  Mas- 
ter and  Deputy  Grand  Master.  The  Prince  William  of 
Baden  has  been,  since  1859,  Grand  Master  of  the  Royal 
York  Grand  Lodge. 


132  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

Kingdom  of  Saxony. — A  lodge  was  established  at  Dres- 
den, in  1738,  by  the  Count  Rotowsky,  under  whose  direc- 
tion a  Provincial  Grand  Lodge  was  organized  in  1741. 
This  Grand  Lodge,  with  the  operative  lodges  under  its 
jurisdiction,  experienced  the  same  embarrassments,  by 
their  connection  with  the  high  degrees,  as  all  the  other 
legislative  Masonic  bodies  of  Germany.  We  shall  pass 
them  by  without  further  notice. 

In  1755,  this  lodge  took  the  title  of  Grand  Lodge  of 
Saxony;  and,  after  having,  in  1807,  abolished  all  the  de- 
grees above  that  of  Master  Mason,  it  united,  in  1811,  with 
the  National  Grand  Lodge  of  Saxony,  which  then  had 
been  established. 

Under  the  auspices  of  the  first  Grand  Lodge,  there  was 
founded,  in  1792,  on  the  22d  of  September,  at  Frederick- 
stadt,  a  philosophic  establishment,  which  is  directed  at 
the  present  time  by  the  Lodge  of  the  Three  Swords,  at 
Dresden,  and  in  which  two  hundred  children  are  edu- 
cated. 

The  Grand  Lodge  of  Saxony  has  at  present  under  its 
jurisdiction  fifteen  operative  lodges. 

Kingdom  of  Hanover. — The  capital  of  this  country  ad- 
mitted Freemasonry  in  1746,  and  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
London  established  there,  in  1755,  a  Provincial  Grand 
Lodge,  under  the  Grand  Mastership  of  Count  Kielman- 
segge.  Having  detached  itself  from  the  Mother  Grand 
Lodge,  in  1828  it  declared  its  independence  as  a  Masonic 
authority,  under  the  Grand  Mastership  of  the  reigning 
king.  Its  history  is  intimately  connected  with  that  of 
German  Masonry  in  general. 

The  king,  George  V,  on  ascending  the  throne  on  the 
18th  November,  1851,  declared  himself — like  his  father, 
who  was  a  Freemason — the  protector  of  Masonry  in  Han- 
over, and  was  initiated,  on  the  14th  of  January,  1857,  in 
the  "Lodge  at  the  Black  Bear,"  in  Hanover.  From  that 


FREEMASONRY  IN  GERMANY.  133 

time  he  has  directed,  as  Grand  Master,  the  Freemasonry 
of  the  country,  and  taken  a  very  active  part  in  Masonic 
labors. 

The  Grand  Lodge  of  Hanover  numbers  at  the  present 
time  upon  its  register  twenty-one  symbolic  lodges. 

Kingdom  of  Bavaria. — In  no  country  of  Germany  has 
Freemasonry  been  subjected  to  as  many  restrictions  and 
vexations  as  in  the  kingdom  of  Bavaria.  It  did  not  pene- 
trate, until  very  lately,  into  the  elder  Bavaria;  and  it  was 
not  until  1777  that  the  Royal  York  Grand  Lodge  organ- 
ized a  lodge  at  Munich.  But  for  a  long  time  it  has  ex- 
isted in  operative  lodges,  located  in  countries  which,  in 
1810,  were  annexed  to  this  kingdom.  A  lodge  had  been 
organized  by  Prince  Frederick  of  Brandenburg,  on  the 
21st  June,  1741,  at  Beyreuth,  the  ancient  capital  of  Fran- 
conia,  where  other  lodges  were  said  to  have  existed  at 
this  time,  but  concerning  which  we  know  nothing. 

The  society  of  the  Ilhiminati,  founded  by  the  professor 
"Weisshaupt,  and  to  which  was  intrusted  the  noble  task  of 
causing  virtue  to  triumph  over  folly  and  ignorance,  and 
of  carrying  instruction  and  civilization  into  all  classes  of 
society,  had  found  access  into  some  lodges  located  in  the 
Elder  Bavaria,  and  particularly  those  of  Munich ;  and 
thereupon  Prince  Charles  Theodore,  moved  by  the  influ- 
ence of  the  Jesuits,  issued  two  decrees,  the  one  dated  2d 
March,  and  the  other  16th  August,  1785,  interdicting  the 
assemblies  of  the  Illuminati,  and  also  those  of  the  Free- 
masons. Following  these  prohibitions,  which  were  re- 
newed from  at  first  by  the  king,  Maximilian  Joseph,  on 
the  4th  November,  1799,  and  subsequently  on  the  5tt 
March,  1804,  the  lodges  of  Munich  and  of  Manheim 
ceased  their  labors. 

"Within  the  Protestant  countries  annexed  to  Bavaria-— 
at  Beyreuth  and  Ratisbonne — the  lodges  were  allowed  to 
continue  their  labors,  but  under  most  intolerable  restric- 


134  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

tions.  No  employe  of  the  government,  either  civil  or 
military,  was  permitted  to  attend  the  meetings  of  or  be 
initiated  into  them.  In  a  word,  these  lodges  had  to  con- 
tend with  the  Jesuitical  tendencies  of  the  government, 
and  were  consequently  paralyzed  in  their  actions. 

Notwithstanding  this  pressure,  however,  the  lodge  at 
Beyrouth — constituted,  on  the  3d  of  August,  1800,  as  a 
Provincial  Grand  Lodge,  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
Royal  York  Grand  Lodge  at  Berlin — made  a  stand,  under 
the  Grand  Mastership  of  Count  Giech  and  Brother  Yoel- 
dendorf,  prefect  of  the  government;  and  finally,  in  1811, 
it,  with  four  other  lodges,  created  an  independent  power  at 
Beyrouth,  under  the  title  of  "Grand  Lodge  of  the  Sun." 
This  authority  has  at  present  under  its  jurisdiction,  in  the 
northern  portion  of  Bavaria,  eleven  operative  lodges, 
while  in  the  southern  portion,  which  is  entirely  Roman 
Catholic,  Freemasonry  is  completely  interdicted. 

Grand  Duchy  of  Baden. — The  most  ancient  lodge  of 
this  country  is  the  lodge  "  Charles  of  Concord,"  established 
on  the  24th  November,  1778,  at  Manheim,  by  the  Royal 
York  Grand  Lodge  of  Berlin.  Its  labors  were  suspended 
in  1785,  in  consequence  of  the  interdiction  of  Masonic  as- 
semblies in  the  states  of  the  elector  of  Bavaria,  in  which 
Manheim  was  at  that  time  situate.  But  when  this  city 
was,  in  1803,  incorporated  in  the  Grand  Duchy  of  Baden, 
Freemasonry  awoke,  under  the  direction  of  the  Marquis 
of  Dalberg,  and  founded,  in  1806,  a  Grand  Orient  of  Ba- 
den, of  which  Prince  Charles  of  Ysenberg  was  chosen 
Grand  Master. 

Another  power,  under  the  title  of  the  "National  Union 
of  the  Lodges,"  was,  upon  the  23d  of  May,  1809,  consti- 
tuted at  Manheim  by  tie  lodges  of  Carlsriihe,  Friburg, 
Heidelberg,  etc.,  of  which  the  Marquis  Charles  Frederick 
Schilling,  of  Constadt,  was  nominated  presiding  officer. 

After  the  death  of  the  Grand  Duke,  Charles  Frederick, 


FREEMASONRY  IN  GERMANY.  135 

his  successor,  under  the  pressure  of  political  events,  on 
the  16th  February,  1813,  and  on  the  7th  March,  1814, 
promulgated  two  ordinances,  prohibiting  all  assemblies  of 
secret  societies,  among  which,  of  course,  Freemasonry 
stood  first.  After  this  the  lodges  remained  closed  for 
thirty  years;  and  it  was  not  until  in  1845  that  the  reign 
ing  Grand  Duke  authorized  anew  the  assembling  of  Free- 
masons. The  greater  part  of  the  old  lodges  began  their 
labors,  and  to-day  they  are  at  work,  under  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Beyrouth  and  the  Grand  Lodge 
at  the  Three  Globes,  in  Berlin,  respectively. 

Kingdom  of  Wurtemberg. — In  1774  a  lodge  was  insti- 
tuted at  Stuttgart,  under  the  title  of  "  Charles  of  the 
Three  Cedars,"  which  practiced  the  rite  of  "  Strict  Ob- 
servance," and  having  at  its  head  Brother  Taiibenheim, 
privy  councilor ;  but  it  failed  to  sustain  itself,  and,  by  a 
circular,  dated  the  16th  July,  1784,  it  was  announced  that 
its  labors  were  suspended.  It  was  not  until  the  year  1835 
that  we  see  Freemasonry  reappear  at  Stuttgart.  The  late- 
ness of  this  reappearance  is  due  to  the  unfriendly  disposi- 
tion for  the  institution  entertained  by  the  sovereigns  who 
governed  Wurtemberg  since  1784.  To-day  we  see  lodges 
in  active  operation,  working  under  the  direction  of  va- 
rious German  Grand  Lodges. 

Duchy  of  Hesse-Darmstadt. — The  first  traces  of  Free- 
masonry were  exhibited  in  this  country  in  1764,  when  a 
lodge,  under  the  name  of  the  "  White  Pigeon,"  had  been 
organized  by  the  National  Grand  Lodge  of  Germany  ;  but 
this  lodge  disappeared  immediately,  and  left  no  sign  of 
Masonic  life  in.  Hesse-Darmstadt,  where,  as  in  many  other 
portions  of  Germany,  the  reigning  sovereigns  did  not 
have  much  love  for  the  institution.  It  was  not  until  the 
year  1816  that  it  awoke,  thanka  to  the  particular  protec- 
tion of  the  landgrave  Christian  of  Hesse.  A  lodge,  under 


136  GENERAL    HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

the  title  of  "  St.  John  the  Evangelist,"  was  constituted  at 
Darmstadt,  on  the  5th  of  August  of  that  year,  and  in- 
stalled on  the  23d  of  the  following  October,  by  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  the  Eclectic  Union  at  Frankfort.  This  lodge 
established  a  fund  for  the  relief  of  the  widows  and  or- 
phans of  deceased  brethren. 

In  1846  was  established  at  Darmstadt,  under  the  title 
of  "The  Union,"  a  Grand  Lodge,  which  now  numbers 
upon  its  register  seven  operative  lodges,  besides  the  lodge 
"  St.  John  the  Evangelist." 

Hesse- Cassel. — Notwithstanding  all  the  members  of  the 
ducal  family  of  this  duchy  were  Freemasons,  as  were  also 
the  ruling  princes,  in  this  country,  Freemasonry  has  never 
made  any  progress.  The  lodges  have  never  sought  to 
form  a  central  power,  but  work  in  an  isolated  manner, 
and  without  ranking  under  any  jurisdiction. 

When  the  country  was  transformed  into  a  kingdom, 
under  Jerome  Buonaparte,  in  1808,  the  lodges  organized  a 
legislative  authority  at  Cassel,  under  the  title  of  the 
"  Grand  Orient  of  Westphalia ;"  but  this  organization  was 
dissolved  after  the  events  of  1815.  Another  Masonic  au- 
thority was  constituted  at  Cassel  in  1817.  We  have  no 
documents  to  inform  us  as  to  what  occurred  since  that  date. 

Duchy  of  Brunswick. — Through  the  agency  of  the  cham- 
berlain Do  Kisselben,  who  was  by  it  named  Provincial 
Grand  Master  for  life,  the  Provincial  Grand  Lodge  of 
Hamburg,  on  the  12th  of  February,  1844,  instituted  a 
lodge  at  Brunswick  which  was  called  "Jonathan,"  and  at 
the  installation  of  which  Prince  Albert  of  Brunswick  was 
present.  After  the  introduction  of  the  Templar  system 
into  the  lodges  of  Germany,  a  number  of  the  members  of 
this  lodge  refused  to  recognize  it  as  Masonic,  or  admit 
the  system  into  the  lodge.  This  circumstance,  in  1765, 
led  to  a  division  of  the  membership  into  two  factions, 


FREEMASONRY  IX  GERMANY.  137 

which,  while  they  continued  to  work  each  independent 
of  the  other,  ceased  not  to  criminate  and  war  upon  each 
other.  A  third  lodge,  named  "St.  Charles  of  Concord," 
organized  in  1764  by  some  Frenchmen,  who  worked  in 
the  French  language,  and  conferred  the  high  degrees 
brought  by  them  from  France,  having,  notwithstanding 
the  protection  of  the  reigning  duke,  been  authorized  b}- 
the  two  dissenting  lodges  just  mentioned,  Duke  Charles, 
to  put  an  end  to  this  strife  and  disorder,  closed  up  all  the 
lodges,  and  subsequently  ordered  their  membership  to  re- 
organize into  two  new  lodges,  the  one  to  work  in  the 
French  language,  and  the  other  in  the  German. 

In  1770,  the  Duke  Ferdinand  of  Brunswick,  having 
been  nominated,  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  London,  Provin- 
cial Grand  Master  for  the  lodges  of  the  Duchy  of  Bruns- 
wick, installed  the  officers  of  these  two  lodges  on  the  10th 
and  llth  of  October  of  that  year,  in  presence  of  the  Duke 
Charles  of  Sudermanie,  brother  of  Gustavus  III,  King  of 
Sweden;  Prince  Frederick  Augustus  of  Brunswick-Lune- 
burg,  and  General  Rhetz,  Deputy  Grand  Master. 

As  the  Templar  system  lacked  in  Germany  an  influen- 
tial chief,  who  could  facilitate  its  propagation  and  sup- 
port the  secret  plans  of  its  founders,  the  emissaries  of  the 
Jesuits  sought,  not  in  vain,  to  gain  the  Duke  Ferdinand 
to  such  position.  After  having  consented  to  their  propo- 
sition, and  being  initiated  in  the  Convent  of  Kohlo  in  1772, 
by  the  chapter  there  assembled  for  that  purpose,  he  was 
nominated  Grand  Master  of  all  the  lodges  of  the  Templar 
system  in  Germany.  On  the  18th  January,  1773,  he  es- 
tablished a  Supreme  Directory  of  Strict  Observance  at 
Brunswick,  and  within  the  very  locality  of  those  lodges 
which  his  predecessor  had  closed  to  prevent  them  from 
practicing  the  rite  of  which  he  now  announced  himself  as 
chief.  Deceived,  however,  as  had  been  Gustavus  III  of 
Sweden,  and  his  brother  the  Duke  of  Sudermanie,  as  to 
the  origin  of  the  Templar  system,  by  the  emissaries,  who 


138  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

pretended  that  the  object  of  that  system  was  to  re-estab- 
lish the  Order  of  the  Knights  Templar,  and  to  claim  res- 
titution of  the  property  of  that  order  from  the  power  that 
had  confiscated  i%  Duke  Ferdinand  assembled  in  1775  at 
Brunswick,  and  in  1778  at  Wolfenbuttel,  conventions  of 
Freemasons,  to  ascertain  the  facts  in  this  connection. 
The  consequences  were,  that  while  many  of  the  emissaries 
of  the  Templar  system  were  unmasked  and  imprisoned, 
the  object  of  the  inquiry  was  no  further  advanced  than 
before.,  Finally,  the  Duke  Ferdinand  convoked,  in  1782, 
a  congress  at  Wilhelmsbad,  to  which  were  invited  all  the 
Masonic  authorities  of  Europe,  in  order,  first,  to  ascertain 
if  the  Templar  system  was  really  directed  by  the  Society 
of  Loyola ;  second,  to  discuss  the  merits  of  the  system,  as 
also  its  demerits ;  and,  third,  to  reform  it,  to  the  end  that 
Freemasonry  might  be  extricated  from  the  political  com- 
plications into  which  this  system  had  drawn  it,  not  alone 
in  all  Germany,  but  also  in  Sweden,  Italy,  Poland,  and 
Russia.  The  discussions  which  took  place  during  the 
thirty  days  this  congress  continued  in  session,  while  they 
led  to  no  positive  assurance  beyond  the  fact  that  the  Tem- 
plar system  was  a  totally  anti-masonic  institution,  carried 
the  conviction  to  the  minds  of  the  majority  present  that 
there  was  no  Freemasonry  beyond  that  of  the  English 
Eite,  or  the  three  symbolic  degrees.  The  consequences 
were  that  all  the  systems  of  high  degrees  were  rejected 
and  cast  aside  as  worthless,  except  the  rite  of  Strict  Ob- 
servance, which  was  changed  into  the  "  Refined  Scottish 
Rite." 

The  "  Supreme  Directory"  at  Brunswick,  after  the  death 
of  Duke  Ferdinand,  on  the  3d  July,  1792,  returned  to  the 
practice  of  the  English  Rite,  and  assumed  what  it  claimed 
as  its  original  name  of  "St.  Charles  of  Concord;"  and 
thereafter,  for  some  time,  continued  to  exist  isolated  and 
independent. 

While  Westphalia  was  a  kingdom  this  lodge  was  in 


FREEMASONRY  IN  GERMANY.  139 

danger  of  losing  its  independence,  in  consequence  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  Westphalia,  instituted  in  1808  at  Cassel, 
attempting  to  register  it  under  its  direction.  But  the  in- 
terference of  the  king  prevented  this  consummation,  and, 
for  the  purpose  of  having  some  recognized  Masonic  au- 
thority to  lean  upon,  it  returned  to  its  obedience  to  the  an- 
cient mother  lodge  of  Hamburg.  The  llth  and  12th  Feb- 
ruary, 1844,  were  employed  by  this  lodge — "St.  Charles 
of  Concord" — in  celebrating  the  centennial  feast  of  the 
itroductiou  of  Freemasonry  into  Brunswick. 

Empire  of  Austria. — In  all  countries  wrherein  the  Roman 
Catholic  and  apostolic  clergy  predominate,  Freemasonry 
experiences  great  difficulty  in  attaining  a  permanent  foot- 
hold. Of  this  fact  Austria  is  a  striking  illustration.  All 
the  lodges  constituted  in  the  Austrian  States  have  had  but 
a  brief  term  of  existence,  the  persecutions  on  the  part  of 
the  clergy  and  the  prohibitions  of  the  sovereigns  having 
never  given  them  time  to  take  root. 

The  Empress  Maria  Theresa,  notwithstanding  her  hus- 
band, the  Emperor  Francis  I,  wras  a  Freemason,  inter- 
dicted Masonry,  in  1764,  within  the  Austrian  States.  It 
was  not  until  the  reign  of  Joseph  II  that  we  find  the  in- 
stitution again  existing  in  that  country ;  but,  as  before, 
an  object  of  suspicion,  and  under  the  strict  superintend- 
ence of  the  police. 

The  system  of  Strict  Observance  had  been  established 
in  all  its  hierarchy  at  Vienna;  but  some  very  grave  com- 
plications caused  it,  in  a  short  time,  to  abandon  its  seat. 
In  1784,  however,  there  were  established  some  ten  lodges 
in  Vienna,  all  working  under  this  system,  and  which — to 
judge  from  the  language  of  a  Masonic  journal  which  was 
there  secretly  published  from  1784  to  1786,  and  edited 
with  marked  ability — were  composed  of  worthy  men,  and 
progressive  in  their  principles  and  practices. 

After  the   death  of  Joseph  II  in  1790,  his  successor, 


140 


GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 


Francis  II,  prohibited  Masonry  anew,  and  used  the  great- 
est severity  in  enforcing  this  prohibition,  even  to  demand 
ing  a  decision  from  the  German  Diet,  in  1794,  then  sit- 
ting at  Ratisbonne,  to  interdict  the  institution  throughout 
all  Germany.  But  the  representatives  of  Prussia,  Bruns- 
wick, and  Hanover  responded  to  this  demand  by  saying, 
that  as  he  was  protector  of  the  rights  and  liberties  of  his 
own  subjects,  they  claimed  the  same  privilege  with  re- 
gard to  theirs. 

Freemasonry  penetrated  into  Bohemia  in  1769,  and  in 
1770  four  lodges  were  actively  engaged  in  Prague.  They 
were  composed  of  the  most  prominent  citizens.  In  1786, 
a  Provincial  Grand  Lodge  for  Bohemia  was  organized; 
but  the  interdiction  of  Francis  II  caused  the  total  suspen- 
sion of  Masonic  labor  in  this  portion  of  his  empire ;  and, 
since  1794,  Austria  has  been  shut  out  from  Masonic  light. 

RECAPITULATION   OF  THE   LODGES    EXISTING   IN    THE    SEVERAL   STATES   OF 

GEBMANY. 

Holstein ,.  1 

Saxe-Coburg-Gotha 2 

Meiningen 1 

Anhalt  Dessan 2 

"       Bernbourg 

Reuss  (the  elder) 

Reuss  (the  younger) 

Waldeck 

Lippe-Detmold 

Schwartzbourg-Schwerin 2 

Lubeck 2 

Bremen 2 

Frankfort-on-the-Main  and  its  de- 
pendencies, with  1  G.  L 10 

Hamburg  and  dependencies,  1  G.  L.  21 


Prussia,  with  3  G.  L 187 

Saxony,       "     1      "    16 

Hanover,     «     1      «    20 

Bavaria,      «     1      "    10 

Baden 5 

Wurtemberg 6 

Hesse-Darmstadt,  1  G.  L 7 

Hesse-Cassel 2 

Luxembourg,  1  G.  L 2 

Mecklenburg-Schwerin 9 

"           Strelitz 2 

Saxe-Weimar 2 

Oldenbourg 2 

Nassau 1 

Brunswick 3 

Altenburg 1 1 


Total 10  G.  Ls.  and  323  La. 


•• 


FREEMASONRY   IN   SWITZERLAND.  141 


SWITZERLAND. 

FREEMASONRY  penetrated  into  Switzerland  in  1737,  when 
a  Provincial  Grand  Master  of  England,  named  George 
Hamilton,  founded  the  first  lodge  at  Geneva,  and  shortly 
afterward  the  second  at  Lausanne ;  hut  in  consequence  of 
its  interdiction,  in  1738,  hy  the  magistracy  of  Berne,  the 
latter  was  dissolved.  In  1740  a  new  lodge  was  organized 
at  Lausanne;  hut  a  second  prohibition  hy  the  govern- 
ment of  Berne,  dated  the  3d  March,  1745,  closed  it.  It 
was  not  until  about  1764  that  lodges  were  organized  in 
Lausanne  and  in  the  canton  of  Vaud ;  but  a  third  edict, 
issued  by  the  government,  in  1770,  against  the  assembling 
of  Freemasons,  dispersed  these  lodges  also. 

The  Provincial  Grand  Lodge  of  Genera  maintained  it- 
self with  much  difficulty;  for  nearly  all  the  lodges  that 
it  constituted,  particularly  those  in  the  canton  of  Vaud, 
were  dispersed  hy  the  edicts  mentioned.  Having  sought, 
however,  to  establish  lod/y  a  in  the  cities  of  German 
Switzerland,  and  others  m  Geneva,  it  seemed  necessary 
that  a  Grand  Orient  of  Geneva  should  be  established; 
and,  in  1786,  this  authority  was  instituted ;  hut  the 
French  Revolution  of  1789  caused  it  to  suspend  opera- 
tions. In  1796  it  resumed  its  functions ;  hut,  hy  the  union 
of  Geneva  with  th/»  Empire  of  France,  its  operations  were 
set  aside  hy  the  C4rand  Orient  of  France,  which  imme- 
diately commerce!  instituting  lodges  within  its  jurisdic- 
tion. In  1765>  Masonry  having  extended  into  German 
Switzerland)  a  lodge  was  p?tablished  at  Basle,  and  another 
at  Zurich  in  1771.  Both  of  these  lodges  were  instituted 
by  the  Provincial  Grand  Lodge  of  Geneva. 

The  system  of  Strict  Observance  soon  found  its  way 
into  the  valleys  of  J>,-lvetia;  and  its  anti-masonic  distinc- 
tions, while  producvg  the  same  disorder  there  which  they 
produced  elsewh^v-%  culminated  in  dividing  the  Masons 
of  Switzerland  rjto  two  camps.  In  1775,  the  system  of 


142  GENERAL   HISTORY  OF   FREEMASONRY. 

Strict  Observance,  having  organized  a  Helvetian  Scottish 
Directory,  divided  itself  into  two  factions.  The  one,  hav- 
ing its  seat  at  Basle,  assumed  authority  over  German  Swit- 
zerland; while  the  other,  sitting  at  Lausanne,  and  styling 
itself  the  Scottish  Directory  of  Roman  Helvetia,  took 
charge  of  French  Switzerland.  But  this  last  had  to  sub- 
nit  to  a  like  fortune  with  all  the  lodges  of  the  canton  of 
Vaud ;  and  in  consequence  of  the  edict  of  the  Lords  of 
Berne,  issued  in  ISTovember,  1782,  it  suspended  its  opera- 
tions. This  edict,  for  the  fourth  time,  prohibited  Masonic 
assemblies  in  every  portion  of  the  canton.  The  Directory 
of  Basle  was  not  more  fortunate;  for,  in  1785,  under  the 
stringent  requirements  of  an  edict  of  the  magistrates  of 
Berne,  it  also  had  to  suspend  operations.  During  the 
French  Revolution  all  Masonic  labors  in  Switzerland  were 
suspended;  and,  in  1818,  the  seat  of  the  Scottish  Directory 
of  Basle  was  transferred,  after  the  death  of  the  Grand 
Master  Burhardt,  from  that  city  to  Zurich. 

The  Directory  of  Roman  Helvetia  at  Lausanne  awoke 
to  renewed  activity  in  1810 ;  but  the  system  of  Strict  Ob- 
servance having  been  abolished  after  the  congress  of  Wil- 
helmsbad,  it  took  the  title  of  Grand  Orient  of  Roman 
Helvetia,  on  the  15th  October  of  that  year,  and  from  that 
vtime  governed  the  lodges  of  the  canton  of  Vaud,  until 
its  fusion,  in  1822,  with  the  Provincial  Grand  Lodge  of 
Berne,  which  then  became  an  independent,  Grand  Lodge. 
At  Berne  Masonry  had  been  introduced,  about  the  year 
1740,  by  the  Provincial  Grand  Lodge  of  Geneva ;  but,  in 
consequence  of  the  interdiction  of  the  magistrates  of 
Berne,  it  had  disappeared,  and  no  traces  of  it  could  be 
found  in  the  canton  until  about  1798,  when  some  Bernese 
officers,  in  the  service  of  France,  established  three  lodges, 
styled,  respectively,  "Friends  of  Glory,"  "Foreign  Coun- 
try," and  "Discretion."  The  first  two  had  but  a  short 
existence,  and  from  the  remains  of  the  last  was  formed 
the  "  Lodge  of  Hope,"  which  was  constituted  by  the  Grand 


FREEMASONRY   IN   SWITZERLAND.  143 

Orient  of  France,  on  the  14th  of  September,  1803,  and 
which  was  then  the  only  lodge  in  active  operation  in  the 
whole  Swiss  Confederation. 

A  new  era  now  appeared  to  dawn  for  Masonry  in  Switz- 
erland, which,  no  more  persecuted,  developed  with  won- 
derful rapidity,  and  lodges  were  established,  within  a  short 
time,  in  the  principal  towns  of  the  country;  but  the  wrars 
of  the  empire  once  more  arrested  this  new  growth.  The 
Lodge  of  Hope  was  composed  of  eminent  men  of  all 
classes  of  society — nearly  all  foreign  diplomatists,  resident 
at  Berne  as  representatives  of  foreign  powers,  having  be- 
come members  of  this  lodge.  In  1812  it  initiated  Prince 
Leopold  of  Saxe-Coburg,  since  King  of  the  Belgians.  On 
the  12th  July,  1818,  this  lodge  applied  for  a  patent  to  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  England ;  and  on  the  24th  June,  1819,  it 
was  installed  as  a  Provincial  Grand  Lodge  of  England,  by 
the  brother  Louis  de  Tavel  de  Kruiningen,  who  had  been 
elected  to  the  position  of  Provincial  Grand  Master.  From 
that  time  it  abandoned  and  discredited  the  chapters  and 
high  degrees  of  all  kinds  which  it  had  received  from 
France,  and  thenceforward  recognized  nothing  as  Ma- 
sonic but  the  three  symbolic  degrees. 

Thenceforth  the  eminent  brethren  who  directed  this 
authority  sought  to  unite,  under  one  alliance,  all  the 
lodges  of  Switzerland.  Having  announced  their  desires 
upon  this  subject  to  the  Helvetian  Scottish  Directory  at 
Zurich,  without  meeting  any  favorable  response,  on  the 
24th  June,  1822,  the  Provincial  Grand  Lodge  of  Berne 
concluded  a  treaty  of  union  with  the  Helvetian  Grand 
Orient1  at  Lausanne,  by  virtue  of  which  both  of  these  au- 
thorities were  dissolved,  and  in  their  place  was  instituted 
a  National  Grand  Lodge  of  Switzerland,  to  which,  by  vir 
tue  of  the  treaty,  the  six  lodges  of  the  Grand  Orient  and 

1  This  Grand  Orient  was,  in  some  sort,  the  successor  of  the  Roman 
Helvetian  Directory,  that  suspended  operations  in  1782. 


144  GENERAL   HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

the  three  lodges  of  the  Provincial  Grand  Lodge  yielded 
obedience.  In  this  manner  but  two  Masonic  authorities 
came  to  exist,  viz  :  the  National  Grand  Lodge  of  Switzer- 
land, and  the  Helvetian  Scottish  Directory  at  Zurich. 

Such  new  lodges  as  were  subsequently  instituted  in 
Switzerland  took  rank  under  the  National  Grand  Lodge ; 
and  notwithstanding  the  Zurich  Directory  had  at  various 
times,  and  particularly  in  1830,  after  the  death  of  the 
Grand  Master  De  Tavel,  made  overtures  of  union  to  the 
National  Grand  Lodge,  in  consequence  of  the  pretensions 
to  the  right  of  conferring  high  degrees  retained  by  the 
former,  the  latter,  having  abolished  such  pretension,  would 
never  consent  to  such  union. 

Finally,  the  feelings  which  prompted  a  desire  for  union 
were  renewed  in  1835,  and,  at  the  twenty-fifth  anniver- 
sary of  the  re-opening  of  the  lodge  "Liberty  with  Mod- 
esty," in  Zurich,  the  Swiss  lodges  were  invited,  and  the 
feast  took  place  on  the  20th  August,  1836.  It  was  then 
agreed  that  the  "Lodge  of  Hope,"  at  Berne,  should  con- 
voke, in  the  year  1838,  all  the  lodges  of  Switzerland  in  a 
congress,  in  which  should  be  discussed  the  basis  of  a 
future  union.  In  accordance  with  this  decision  the  con- 
gress met,  the  basis  of  union  was  discussed,  and  the  decis- 
ion arrived  at  that  a  third  congress  should  assemble  at 
Basle  in  1840,  to  continue  the  discussion.  Subsequently, 
a  fourth  congress  assembled  at  Locle  in  1842,  and  finally  a 
fifth,  at  which  were  assembled  the  representatives  of  four- 
teen lodges,  who  ratified  the  union  on  the  22d  June,  1844, 
and  established  the  new  Alpine  Grand  Lodge,  with  the 
brother  Professor  Hottinger  as  Grand  Master. 

The  place  of  meeting  of  this  body  is  changed  every  two 
years.  Governed  by  a  council  of  administration,  having 
the  Grand  Master  for  president,  and  composed  of  the 
members  united  in  a  general  assembly,  this  authority  ex- 
ercises legislative  powers.  Its  jurisdiction  extends  over 
twenty-seven  lodges,  which  form  the  Swiss  union. 


FREEMASONRY    IN   ITALY.  145 


ITALY. 

IN  no  country  has  Freemasonry  been  subjected  to  such 
changes  of  fortune  as  in  Italy.  It  is  at  Florence  that  we 
find  the  first  traces  of  the  institution.  Introduced  there 
in  1729,  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  England,  which  estab- 
lished many  lodges  in  Tuscany,  in  1731  we  find  a  Pro- 
vincial Grand  Lodge  instituted.  But  Gaston,  the  last 
Grand  Duke  of  the  family  of  the  Medici,  in  1737  inter- 
dicted all  Masonic  meetings,  and  not  until  after  his  death 
did  Freemasons  again  meet  in  a  lodge  capacity.  Then, 
the  clergy  having  complained  to  Pope  Clement  XII,  he 
sent  an  inquisitor  to  Florence,  who  arrested  and  impris- 
oned all  the  Masons  he  could  discover,  and  ceased  not  in 
his  persecutions  until  ordered  so  to  do  by  the  successor 
of  Gaston,  Francis,  Duke  of  Lorraine,  who  was  subse- 
quently Emperor  of  Austria.  This  prince,  who  had  been 
made  a  Mason  in  Holland,  protected  the  institution.  Un- 
der his  reign  Masonry  extended  into  all  Italy — to  Milan, 
Padua,  Venice,  and  Yerona.  It  existed  even  at  Rome, 
where,  unknown  to  the  Pope,  a  lodge  worked  in  the  Eng- 
lish Rite.  The  bull  of  excommunication  of  the  27th  April, 
1738,  published  on  the  29th  of  the  following  May,  and 
which  prohibited  Masonic  meetings  in  all  Catholic  coun- 
tries, under  the  most  severe  penalties,  closed  a  portion  of 
the  Italian  lodges.  A  new  edict  of  the  Cardinal  Farras, 
dated  14th  January,  1739,  confirmed  this  bull,  and  ordered 
to  be  burned,  by  the  hands  of  the  public  hangman,  a  pam- 
phlet written  in  favor  of  Freemasons.  These  persecu- 
tions, however,  had  but  little  effect  in  interrupting  the 
spread  of  Masonry  in  Italy,  particularly  at  Naples;  and 
it  was  but  by  the  promulgation  of  the  bull  of  Pope  Bene- 
dict XIV,  on  the  18th  March,  1751,  that  the  lodges  were 
obliged  to  close  their  meetings. 

In  1760,  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Holland  instituted  a  Pro- 
vincial Grand  Lodge  at  Naples,  which,  in  a  short  time 
10 


146  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

had  organized  eight  operative  lodges.  Then  detaching  it- 
self from  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Holland,  this  lodge  took 
rank  as  a  Provincial  Grand  Lodge,  under  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  England.  In  1767  this  body  declared  itself  in- 
dependent, under  the  title  of  the  National  Grand  Lodge 
of  Italy,  with  the  Duke  Demetrio  della  Kocca  in  the  office 
of  Grand  Master ;  in  which  condition  it  existed  until  1790, 
when  it  was  dissolved  hy  the  French  Revolution. 

Masonry  was  cotemporarily  introduced  into  the  king- 
dom of  Sardinia,  lodges  having  been  organized  at  Turin 
and  Chambery ,  while,  in  the  latter  city,  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  London  founded  a  Provincial  Grand  Lodge. 

In  1762  Masonry  was  imported  from  England  to  Venice, 
where  many  lodges  were  established,  under  the  direction 
of  the  Provincial  Grand  Master  Manuzzi. 

The  partisans  of  the  Stuarts,  and  other  political  schemers, 
found  in  Italy,  as  elsewhere,  means  to  establish  their  ille- 
gitimate Masonry.  In  1775  they  had  installed  at  Turin  a 
commandery  of  the  eighth  department  of  the  system  of 
Strict  Observance,  under  the  direction  of  the  Count  of 
Bernez,  steward  to  the  King  of  Sardinia;  and  by  him 
were  established  priories  of  this  system  in  all  the  principal 
towns  of  that  kingdom,  as  well  as  in  many  cities  of  Italy. 

At  Chambery  English  Freemasonry  had  soon  to  give 
way  to  the  system  of  Strict  Observance,  and  the  Provin- 
cial Grand  Lodge,  instituted  in  that  city  by  the  Grand 
Lodge,  of  London,  transformed  itself,  in  1775,  into  a  Di- 
rectory of  the  Masons  of  Lombardy ;  but  which  was  dis- 
solved in  1794.  At  Naples  the  Prince  of  Caranianca  was 
placed  at  the  head  of  the  Templar  system,  which  there,  as 
elsewhere,  very  soon  displaced  the  English  Rite. 

The  interdictions  of  the  Papal  authority,  as  also  the  clan- 
destine persecutions  of  the  clergy  and  government,  little 
by  little,  dispersed  the  majority  of  the  lodges,  and  those 
which  survived  were  closed  during  the  French  Revolution. 

Under  the  French   government,  however,   a   new    era 


FREEMASONRY   IN   ITALY.  147 

eeemed  to  dawn  for  Masonry  in  Italy.  A  lodge,  organized 
at  Milan  in  1801,  was  followed  by  the  establishment  of 
another  at  Mantua,  and  others  in  the  principal  cities; 
when  the  Scottish  Rite,  introduced  at  Paris  in.  1804,  and 
imported  to  Milan  in  1805,  by  virtue  of  a  constitution 
dated  at  Paris,  and  bearing  the  signatures  of  De  Grasse- 
Tilly,  Pyron,  Benier  and  Vidal,  organized  a  Supreme 
Council  for  Italy,  which  extended  its  ramifications  to 
Sicily.  It  was  this  Supreme  Council  of  Milan  which  gave 
to  one  of  its  members,  named  Lechangeur,  the  idea  of 
creating,  in  1806,  the  Rite  of  Misraim,  in  accordance  with 
which  councils  of  high  degrees  were  instituted  at  Naples 
and  Venice.1 

The  Grand  Orient,  created  at  Naples  in  1807,  and  hav- 
ing the  Prince  Eugene  for  Grand  Master,  subsequently 
united  itself  to  the  Grand  Orient  of  Italy,  which  was  or- 
ganized on  the  24th  June,  1809,  under  the  auspices  and 
Grand  Mastership  of  the  king,  Joachim  Murat. 

With  the  fall  of  Napoleon  I,  this  portion  of  the  history 
of  Freemasonry  in  Italy  closes.  Thereafter  all  the  inter- 
dictions, bulls,  and  edicts  were  renewed.  The  decree  of 
Pope  Pius  VII,  dated  15th  August,  1814,  carried  infamy 
and  bodily  torture  as  the  penalty  incurred  by  all  convicted 
of  assembling  as  Freemasons.  Immediately  following  this, 
similar  decrees  were  promulgated  by  all  the  crowned 
heads  of  Catholic  countries,  all  repeating  the  absurd 
charges  contained  in  the  decree  of  the  Pope,  Pius  VII, 
and  prohibiting  in  their  respective  states  all  Masonic  as- 
semblies. Finally,  on  the  8th  August,  the  King  of  Naples 
issued  his  interdiction,  and,  under  penalty  of  sentence  to 
the  galleys,  prohibited  all  participation  in  the  assemblies 
of  Freemasons. 

After  that  time  the  lodges  continued  closed  in  Italy, 

lThis  rite  was  imported  to  Paris  in  1814,  where  it  yet  exists,  and  has 
given,  in  its  turn,  birth  in  that  city  to  the  Rite  of  Memphis. 


148  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

and  it  was  not  until  1856 — an  interval  of  forty  years-^ 
that  the  Grand  Orient  of  France  instituted  lodges  at 
GCnes  and  at  Livorne.  Since  then  the  lodges  have  mul- 
tiplied and  extended  into  all  the  principal  cities  of  the 
peninsula.  These  lodges  soon  decided  to  institute  an  in- 
dependent Grand  Lodge;  and,  after  the  elaboration  by 
their  delegates  of  a  suitable  constitution,  on  the  1st  Janu- 
ary, 1862,  the  Grand  Orient  of  Italy  was  organized,  with 
its  seat  at  Turin,  and  the  brother  Nigra  nominated  Grand 
Master.  This  brother,  however,  having  declined  the  nomi- 
nation, the  brethren  Cordova  and  General  Garibaldi  were 
put  in  nomination,  and  the  former  elected. 

In  consequence  of  the  severity  practiced  against  it  by 
the  new  central  power,  the  lodge  "Dante  Alighieri," 
which  professed  the  Scottish  (33d)  Rite — a  profession  that 
was  unhappily  entertained  by  several  other  lodges — de- 
tached itself  from  the  Grand  Orient,  and  declared  itself 
independent.  Similar  tendencies  having  manifested  them- 
selves in  other  parts  of  Italy,  and  a  Supreme  Council  for 
Sicily  having  been  constituted  at  Palermo,  with  General 
Garibaldi  as  its  chief,  and  some  twelve  lodges  ranking 
themselves  under  its  banner,  on  the  12th  August,  1863,  a 
convocation  of  all  the  Masonic  bodies  of  Italy  was  called, 
to  meet  at  Turin,  to  take  into  consideration  the  tendency 
of  these  disorders,  and  devise  means  to  check  them.  Not 
being  able  to  agree,  the  brethren  who  represented  the 
Grand  Orient  of  Turin  withdrew  from  this  assembly,  and 
thus  allowed  their  places  in  the  commission,  appointed  to 
draft  a  new  constitution,  to  be  filled  by  brethren  who 
were  all  partisans  of  the  Scottish  Rite.  We  know  not, 
at  the  present  time,  (close  of  1863,)  the  result  of  this 
labor;  in  no  case,  however,  can  we  believe  this  result  will 
be  favorable  to  the  interests  of  true  Freemasonry. 

The  Grand  Orient  of  Italy,  having  rejected  the  high 
degrees  which,  during  the  past  century,  had  produced 
much  discord  among  the  lodges  of  that  country,  and, 


FREEMASONRY   IN   PORTUGAL.  149 

under  its  constitution,  recognized  nothing  as  Masonry  but 
the  three  symbolic  degrees  of  the  English  Rite,  many 
Masonic  authorities  hesitated  to  recognize  it,  in  the  belief 
that  the  political  agitation  of  the  country  might  cause  its 
early  dissolution.  The  desire  to  found  a  Polish  and  a  Hun- 
garian Grand  Orient,  at  the  head  of  which,  respectively, 
should  be  placed  a  political  chief  of  these  countries,  has 
not  a  little  contributed  to  strengthen  such  a  belief. 

At  the  close  of  1863  the  Grand  Orient  of  Italy  reckoned 
under  its  jurisdiction  sixty-eight  operative  lodges,  among 
which  are  to  be  found  lodges  in  Alexandria  and  Cairo,  in 
Egypt ;  at  Constantinople,  in  Turkey,  and  Lima,  in  South 
America. 


PORTUGAL. 

THERE  is  one  country  where  Masonic  light  has  pene- 
trated but  with  the  greatest  difficulty ;  for  it  is  the  seat 
of  ignorance  and  superstition.  This  country  is  the  para- 
dise of  monks,  who  there  cease  not  to  build  convents, 
and  exercise  the  exclusive  privilege  of  directing  the  minds 
of  the  people,  the  king,  and  his  councilors.  That  coun- 
try is  Portugal. 

From  the  Book  of  Constitutions,  first  published  by  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  London,  in  1723 — and  subsequently  at 
later  periods,  to  the  extent  of  five  separate  editions,  the 
last  of  which  was  published  by  order  of  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  England,  in  1855 — we  learn  that  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
London  instituted  at  Lisbon,  in  1735,  a  Provincial  Grand 
Lodge,  by  the  agency  of  Bro.  George  Gordon ;  but  th 
seeds  thus  sown  fell  on  barren  soil.  In  the  matter  of  per 
secution,  undergone  by  all  who  attempted  to  disseminate 
Freemasonry  in  this  country,  it  stands  without  a  rival,  if 
we  may  except  Spain;  but  latterly  this  condition  is  dis- 
appearing. 


150  GENERAL   HISTORY  OF   FREEMASONRY. 

Tlie  Inquisition,  here  under  the  protection  of  the  king, 
tracked  every  person  from  far  and  near  who  were  sus- 
pected of  being  Freemasons.  Thus,  two  lapidaries — the 
one  named  John  Gustos,  originally  a  Protestant  from 
JBerne  in  Switzerland,  and  the  other,  named  Alexander 
James  Monton,  originally  a  Catholic  from  Paris — having 
been  accused  of  having  expressed  the  desire  to  see  a  lodge 
organized  in  Lisbon,  fell  into  the  snares  set  by  the  "Holy 
Office,"  and  were  thrown  into  prison  in  1743.  The  accu- 
sation charged  them  with  seeking  to  introduce  Freema- 
sonry into  Portugal,  in  violation  of  the  bull  of  the  Pope, 
which  condemned  this  detestable  doctrine  as  a  heresy,  and 
all  Freemasons  as  impious,  sodomists,  etc.  Under  the 
order  of  the  Cardinal  Dacunha,  grand  inquisitor,  they 
submitted  nine  times  in  three  months  to  the  most  abomi- 
nable torture  that  it  is  possible  to  imagine;  subsequently 
they  were  forced  to  assist  at  an  auto-da-fe,  and  finally 
condemned  to  the  galleys  for  life.  Thanks  to  the  aid  of 
English  Freemasons,  however,  they  were  enabled  to  es- 
cape and  seek  refuge  in  England.  Of  the  many  other 
Masons  who,  like  those  unfortunates,  fell  into  the  traps  of 
the  Inquisition,  and  who,  no  doubt,  sunk  under  the  tor- 
ture inflicted  by  that  detestable  institution,  we  have  been 
unable  to  discover  the  least  trace. 

The  Inquisition  was  no  less  severe  with  the  natives  of 
the  country;  for,  in  1776,  two  Portuguese  nobles,  Major 
D'AHncourt  and  Don  Oyres  D'Ornelles-Parracao,  were 
also  imprisoned  and  tortured,  because  they  were  Free- 
masons. Although  all  vestige  of  Masonry  had  disappeared 
for  twenty-five  years,  in  1802  an  inquest  was  ordered 
against  Freemasons  in  Portugal,  and  all  who  were  sus- 
pected even,  by  this  inquest,  were  charged  with  conspiracy 
against  the  king  and  the  church,  and  sentenced  to  the 
galleys  without  trial  or  form  of  law. 

Notwithstanding  these  severe  measures,  we  find,  in  1805, 
a  Grand  Orient  at  Lisbon,  with  a  Grand  Master,  named 


,  FREEMASONRY   IN   PORTUGAL.  151 

Egaz-Moniz  ;  but  its  ramifications  were  not  very  extended. 
Dissolved  after  the  events  of  1814,  it  was  formed  again  in 
1817,  and  sought  to  animate  some  lodges;  but  Freema- 
sonry continued  to  inspire  the  monks  with  terror,  and, 
yielding  to  their  solicitations,  King  John  YI  issued  a  de-- 
cree,  dated  at  Rio  Janeiro,  the  30th  March,  1818,  inter 
dieting  Freemasons  from  assembling  together,  under  pain 
of  death.  We  know  nothing  of  the  lives  destroyed  under 
this  decree ;  but,  about  five  years  afterward,  it  was  modi- 
fied by  another,  which,  dated  Lisbon,  June  20,  1823,  stated 
that  it  was  issued  in  consequence  of  remonstrances  upon 
the  subject  having  been,  during  the  interval,  addressed  to 
the  government  by  many  of  the  resident  embassadors. 
By  the  terms  of  this  last  decree,  the  penalty  was  changed 
from  capital  punishment  to  five  years'  labor  in  the  galleys 
in  Africa.  JSTo  proof  beyond  mere  suspicion  was  necessary 
to  cause  the  arrest  of  persons  who  were  punished  under 
the  penalties  of  those  edicts.  Foreigners  as  well  as  na- 
tives were  proceeded  against  without  any  attempt  to  dis- 
guise the  act,  or  the  least  attention  being  given  to  the 
many  protests  which  were  made  by  the  agents  of  their  re- 
spective countries. 

Notwithstanding  these  interdictions,  however,  as  well 
as  the  cruelties  which  were  exercised  under  their  au- 
thority, a  Masonic  body  was  constituted  at  Lisbon,  under 
the  title  of  the  Grand  Orient  of  Lusitania,  as  also  a  Su- 
preme Council  of  the  Scottish  (33d)  Rite.  The  later  sov- 
ereigns of  Portugal,  without  having  revoked  the  prohibi- 
tory decrees  against  Freemasons,  appeared  to  tolerate  the 
Fraternity;  for  there  has  been  established  another  au- 
thority at  Oporto,  under  the  name  of  "Pattos- Manuel;" 
and  subsequently  a  Provincial  Grand  Lodge  of  Ireland. 
But  in  a  country  where — as  in  Spain  and  at  Rome — the 
clergy  rule  every  thing,  we  can  entertain  but  little  hope 
for  the  extension  or  well-being  of  Freemasonry. 


152  GENERAL   HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 


SPAIN. 

IN  no  country,  Portugal  excepted,  has  Freemasonry 
been  exposed  to  persecutions  more  atrocious  than  in  the 
Roman  Catholic  kingdom,  par  excellence,  of  Spain — perse- 
cutions based  upon  the  bulls  of  Clement  XII,  of  the  27th 
April,  1738;  of  Benedict  XIY,  of  the  18th  May,  1751, 
and  the  edict  of  Cardinal  Consalvi,  of  the  13th  August, 
1814,  which,  as  we  have  seen,  pronounced  all  Freemasons 
excommunicated,  and  condemned  them  to  the  most  severe 
penalties,  even  to  death  itself. 

From  the  Book  of  Constitutions  we  learn  that  in  1727 
and  in  1728,  under  the  Grand  Mastership  of  the  Count  of 
Inchquin  and  Lord  Coleraine,  the  first  warrants  were  de- 
livered to"  establish  lodges  at  Gibraltar  and  Madrid.  In 
1739  a  number  of  lodges  were  instituted  at  these  places, 
and  the  Grand  Lodge  of  London  patented  Captain  Com- 
merford  Provincial  Grand  Master  for  all  Andalusia. 

The  Catholic  clergy  of  Spain  exhibited  themselves  at 
a  very  early  period  here,  as  elsewhere,  the  bitter  enemy  of 
Freemasonry.  The  better  to  enable  them  to  discover  the 
members  of  the  Fraternity,  and  the  secret  practices  and 
doctrines  of  the  institution,  the  monk  Joseph  Torrubia, 
censor  of  the  Holy  Office  of  the  Inquisition  at  Madrid,  was 
ordered,  in  1750,  to  assume  a  false  name,  pass  himself  as  a 
layman,  and  be  initiated  into  a  Masonic  lodge.  For  this 
purpose  he  received  from  the  Pope's  legate  the  dispensa- 
tions necessary  to  relieve  him  from  the  obligations  of  the 
oaths  he  should  have  to  take  upon  being  made  a  Freema- 
son. After  having  thus  been  enabled  to  visit  the  lodges 
in  different  parts  of  Spain,  he  presented  himself  before  the 
supreme  tribunal  of  the  Inquisition,  denounced  Freema- 
sonry as  the  most  abominable  institution  that  existed  in 
the  world,  accused  its  members  of  every  vice  and  crime  re- 
volting to  religion,  and  submitted  a  list  of  ninety-seven 


FREEMASONRY   IN   SPAIN. 


153 


lodges  established  in  the  kingdom,  against  which  he  so- 
licited the  most  rigorous  action  of  the  Inquisition. 

The  importance  of  the  great  number  of  brethren  who 
were  members  of  these  lodges,  belonging,  as  they  did,  to 
the  nobility  and  to  the  rich  and  influential  classes,  induced 
the  Holy  Office  to  reflect  upon  the  matter,  and  decided  i 
to  request  the  king  to  interdict  the  institution  of  Freema 
sonry.  In  response  to  its  promptings,  Ferdinand  VI  is- 
sued a  decree,  dated  the  2d  July,  1751,  prohibiting  the  in- 
stitution of  Freemasonry  throughout  the  extent  of  his 
kingdom,  under  the  pretext  that  it  was  dangerous  to  the 
state  and  to  religion,  and  pronouncing  the  penalty  of 
death  against  all  who  should  profess  it.  Under  this  de- 
cree many  persons  were  sacrificed  by  the  order  of  the  In- 
quisition. These  cruelties  were  calculated  to  suppress  all 
idea  of  introducing  Masonry  within  the  country,  and  also 
of  restraining  any  exhibition  of  life  on  the  part  of  the 
lodges  already  established  ;  so  that  it  was  not  until  after 
the  French  Revolution  that  they  emerged  again  into  the 
light,  and  began  to  spread  more  rapidly  than  before. 
After  having  founded  at  Xeres  a  Grand  Lodge  for  Spain, 
there  was  established,  on  the  3d  November,  1805,  under 
the  government  of  Joseph  Napoleon,  a  Grand  Orient  of 
Spain,  having  its  seat  at  Madrid,  the  very  stronghold  of 
the  Inquisition.  The  same  year  was  constituted  a  Su- 
preme Council  of  the  Scottish  (33d)  Rite,  and  subsequently 
a  Grand  Orient,  at  Grenada,  the  Athens  of  Spain. 

In  1814,  Ferdinand  VII  re-established  the  Inquisition, 
and,  by  a  decree  dated  24th  May  of  that  year,  ordered  all 
the  lodges  to  be  closed,  and  pronouncing  all  participation 
in  Masonry  a  crime  against  the  state.  Many  lodges,  par- 
ticularly those  of  Grenada,  having  braved  this  ordinance, 
all  their  members  were  arrested  and  thrown  into  prison. 
Of  their  number  was  the  Marquis  of  Toulouse,  and  Gen- 
eral Alvada,  Adjutant-General  to  the  Duke  of  Welling- 
ton, together  with  many  Frenchmen,  Italians,  and  Ger- 


154  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

mans.  The  provisional  government  of  1820  released  them 
all,  and  in  that  year  many  lodges  resumed  their  labors; 
but,  on  the  1st  August,  1824,  the  King,  Ferdinand  VII, 
renewed  his  decree  of  interdiction,  and  pronounced  the 
penalty  of  death  against  all  who,  being  Freemasons, 
should  not  announce  themselves  as  such  within  thirty 
days ;  while,  after  that  time,  those  who  should  be  recog- 
nized as  such,  and  had  not  so  declared  themselves,  should 
be  hung  within  twenty-four  hours  without  form  of  law. 

So  stringent  a  measure  as  this  would  have  informed 
that  government,  which  held  no  obligations  sacred,  that 
eighty  thousand  of  its  subjects  were  banded  together  as 
a  brotherhood,  had  any  of  those  subjects  been  disloyal  to 
his  obligations  to  that  brotherhood ;  but,  strange  to  say, 
the  Inquisition  found  very  few  victims. 

In  1825,  the  clergy  of  Grenada,  under  the  authority  of 
this  interdiction,  distinguished  themselves  by  the  bloody 
execution  of  seven  Freemasons  ;  and  subsequently,  in  1829, 
new  traces  of  Masonry  having  been  discovered  in  Barce- 
lona, the  unhappy  brethren  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  In- 
quisition, which  ordered  the  execution  of  one  of  them,  the 
brother  Galvez,  a  lieutenant-colonel  in  the  Spanish  army, 
and  sentenced  the  other  two  to  the  galleys  for  life. 

Notwithstanding  these  rigorous  measures,  there  were 
many  Freemasons  in  Spain  ;  and  even  a  Masonic  authority, 
st}'led  the  "  Grand  Directory,"  is  known  to  exist  some- 
where in  the  kingdom,  but  where,  or  what  may  be  the 
plan  of  its  labors,  we  are  unable  to  say. 

At  Cadiz  there  is  a  lodge  composed  entirely  of  English- 
men, with  which  the  government  does  not  interfere;  and 
at  Gibraltar  there  are  four,  like  that  in  Cadiz,  under  the 
protection  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  England,  at  London. 

The  countries  in  which  Masonry  is  at  present  prohib- 
ited are:  Spain  and  her  colonies,  Catholic  Bavaria,  Austria 
and  its  dependencies,  and  Russia,  with  the  countries  under 
her  rule. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  ORIGIN 


OF   THE 


ANCIENT  AND  ACCEPTED  SCOTTISH  RITE, 

AND  ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  SUPREME  COUNCIL  OF 
THAT  RITE  FOR  FRANCE.  1 


THE  Masonic  authority  which  directed  a  fraction  of 
French  Masonry,  under  the  title  of  the  "  Supreme  Council 
of  Sovereign  Grand  Inspectors  General  of  the  33d  and 
last  degree  of  the  Ancient  and  Accepted  Scottish  Rite  for 
France,"  was  organized  at  Paris,  on  the  22d  of  Septem- 
ber, 1804,  by  the  Count  Alexander  Francis  Augustus  de 
Grasse- Tilly,  son  of  the  admiral  of  that  name;  and  this 
organization  was  formed  under  a  warrant,  dated  and  de- 
livered to  him  at  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  on  the  21st 
February,  1802,  by  a  body  stylirig  itself  the  "  Supreme 
Council  of  Grand  Inspectors  General  for  America,"  etc., 
sitting  in  that  city.  This  warrant  conferred  upon  the 
brother  De  Grasse  plenary  powers  to  initiate  Masons  into, 
and  constitute  lodges,  chapters,  and  consistories  of,  this  rite 
in  the  then  (February,  1802,)  French  colony  of  St.  Domingo. 

1  Knowing  how  much  importance  will  attach  to  this  portion  of  th 
General  History  of  Freemasonry,  assuming,  as  it  does,  to  give  the  real 
origin  of  "the  Ancient  and  Accepted  Scottish  Rite"  of  thirty-three  de- 
grees— how  earnestly  it  will  be  studied,  discussed,  and  commented  upon 
by  some,  and  probably  disbelieved  by  others  of  the  brethren,  who  have 
taken  the  commonly-received  history  of  the  rite  and  the  "grand  consti- 
tutions" as  truth  iii  every  particular — I  have  followed  the  author  so 

(155) 


156  GENERAL   HISTORY  OF   FREEMASONRY. 

Without  proceeding,  in  this  place,  with  the  history  of 
the  first  Masonic  power  created  in  France  under  this  war- 
rant, and  the  forms  of  this  rite — the  title  of  which  we 
have  already  given — and  to  chronicle  the  acts  of  such 
body  from  1804  to  the  present  time — which  we  propose  to 
do  in  another  volume — we  will  at  this  time  give  our  atten- 
tion to  the  origin  of  the  Masonic  authority  by  which  it 
was  instituted. 

We  will  begin  with  quoting  from  the  document  submit- 
ted to  the  Masonic  Fraternity  by  the  partisans  of  this  rite, 
giving  an  account  of  its  origin  : 

"  It  appears,  from  authentic  documents,  that  the  establishment 
of  the  sublime  and  ineffable  degrees  of  Masonry  took  place  in  Scot- 
land, France,  and  Prussia  immediately  after  the  first  crusade  ;  but, 
in  consequence  of  circumstances  which  to  us  are  unknown,  they 
were  neglected  from  1658  to  1744.  Then  a  Scotch  gentleman  vis- 
ited France,  and  re-established  the  Lodge  of  Perfection  at  Bour- 
deaux.1  ...  In  1761,  the  lodges  and  councils  of  the  superior 
degrees  having  extended  over  the  continent  of  Europe,  his  majesty 
the  King  of  Prussia,  who  was  Grand  Commander  of  the  degree  of 

closely  in  this  department — sentence  for  sentence  and  word  for  word — that 
I  may  be  said  to  have  waived  the  right  of  a  translator,  and  rendered  the 
author's  language  at  the  expense  of  my  own.  I  trust,  however,  the  object 
will  justify  the  action. — TRANSLATOR. 

1  According  to  this  recital,  it  would  be  necessary  to  admit  that  the  propa- 
gation of  the  Scottish  Rite  of  "these  sublime  and  ineffable  degi-ees''  is  due 
to  a  "Scotch  gentleman,"  unknown  both  as  to  his  own  name  as  well  as  the 
lodge  or  Masonic  authority  that  authorized  him  to  "re-establish"  this  rite  In 
France!  The  fact  is,  that  before  1789  there  never  was  a  lodge  of  the  Scot- 
tish Rite,  neither  of  twenty-five  nor  thirty-three  degrees,  established  at 
Bourdeaux;  while  that  which  existed  at  Arras — a  Grand  Chapter — was 
founded  by  Charles  Edward  Stuart,  in  1747.  Subsequently  there  was,  in 
1751,  a  mother  lodge  of  what  was  then  called  the  Scottish  Rite,  founded  at 
Marseilles;  and  in  1756  the  Grand  Chapter  of  Clermont  was  founded,  in  the 
convent  of  Clermont,  at  Paris.  In  addition  to  these  so-called  Masonic  bodies, 
the  dates  of  whose  institution  are  well  known,  there  were  numerous  chap- 
ters, tribunals,  etc.,  founded  by  Dr.  Ramsay,  between  the  years  1736  and 
1740,  no  details  of  which  are  known  to  us. 


THE   ANCIENT   AND    ACCEPTED    SCOTTISH   BITE.  157 

Prince  of  the  Royal  Secret,1  was  recognized  by  all  as  chief  of  the 
sublime  and  ineffable  degrees  of  Masonry  in  the  two  hemispheres. 

His  royal  highness  Charles,  hereditary  prince  of  the  Swedes, 
the  Goths,  and  the  Vandals,  Duke  of  Sudermanie,  etc.,  was  and 
continued  to  be  the  Grand  Commander  and  protector  of  sublime 
Masonry  in  Sweden ;  and  hid  royal  highness  Louis  of  Bourbon, 
prince  of  the  blood,  the  Duke  of  Chartres,  and  cardinal  prince  of 
Rohan,  Bishop  of  Strasburg,  were  at  the  head  of  these  degrees  in 
France.  *  *  * 

"  On  the  25th  of  October,  1762,  the  grand  constitutions  were 
finally  ratified  at  Berlin,  and  proclaimed  for  the  government  of 
all  the  lodges  of  sublime  and  perfect  Masons,  chapters,  councils, 
colleges,  and  consistories  of  the  royal  and  military  art  of  Free- 
masonry upon  the  whole  surface  of  the  two  hemispheres,  etc. 

"  In  the  same  year  some  constitutions  were  transmitted  to  our 
illustrious  brother  Stephen  Morin,  who,  on  the  27th  of  August, 
1761,  had  been  appointed  Inspector  General  of  all  the  lodges,  etc., 
of  the  New  World,  by  the  Grand  Consistory  of  Princes  of  the 
Royal  Secret,  convoked  at  Paris,  and  at  which  presided  the  deputy 
of  the  King  of  Prussia,  Chaillou  de  Joinville,  Substitute  General 
of  the  Order,  Worshipful  Master  of  the  first  lodge  of  France,  called 
St.  Anthony,  Chief  of  the  eminent  degrees,  etc.  Being  present 
the  brethren  Prince  of  Rohan,  etc.2 

"  By  the  constitutions  of  the  Order,  ratified  on  the  25th  of 
October,  1762,  the  King  of  Prussia  had  been  proclaimed  Chief  of 
the  high  degrees,  with  the  rank  of  Sovereign  Grand  Inspector 
General  and  Grand  Commander.  The  high  councils  and  chapters 
not  being  able  to  work  but  in  his  presence,  or  in  that  of  the  sub- 
stitute who  he  might  designate;  while  all  the  transactions  of  the 
Consistory  of  Princes  of  the  Royal  Secret  had  to  be  sanctioned 
by  him,  or  his  substitute,  for  the  establishment  of  their  legality; 
and  many  other  prerogatives  being  attached  to  his  Masonic  rank. 
No  disposition  had,  however,  been  inserted  in  the  constitution  for 
the  nomination  of  his  successor ;  and,  as  this  was  an  office  of  the 
highest  importance,  the  greatest  precautions  were  necessary  to 

1  This  was  the  name  of  the  last  degree  of  the  Rite  of  Perfection,  which  was 
composed  of  twenty-five  degrees. 

2  See  page  88  for  a  transcript  of  this  appointment. 


158  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

protect  it,  that  none  but  a  person  entirely  worthy  should  be  ap- 
pointed to  it.  Realizing  the  importance  of  this  fact,  the  king  es- 
tablished the  thirty-third  degree.1  Nine  brethren  of  each  nation 
formed  the  Supreme  Council  of  Grand  Inspectors  General,  who, 
since  his  decease,  have  possessed  all  the  Masonic  powers  and  pre- 
rogatives enjoyed  by  him.  They  constitute  the  exclusive  body  of 
the  Society,  and  their  approbation  is  now  indispensable  to  the 
acts  of  the  Consistory,  to  which  it  gives  the  force  of  law.  From 
their  decisions  there  is  no  appeal.  The  sublime  degrees  are  at 
this  moment  (1802)  as  they  were  at  the  time  of  their  first  forma- 
tion ;  they  have  not  undergone  the  slightest  alteration — the  least 
addition.  The  same  principles  and  the  same  ceremonies  have 
been  from  all  time  observed;  and  this  we  know  by  the  documents 
of  our  archives,  which  have  existed  for  many  centuries  of  years 
in  their  original  condition." 

The  author  of  these  passages  has  forgotten,  no  doubt, 
to  quote  the  documents  mentioned  in  the  introduction,  as 
also  those  extracts  from  the  archives  to  which  he  alludes 
at  the  close. 

This  recital  we  extract  from  a  report  which,  accompa- 
nied by  some  historical  notes,  seems  to  have  been  sub- 
mitted to  the  Supreme  Council  at  Charleston,  in  1802,  by 
one  of  its  members,  named  Frederick  Dalcho,  and  which, 
in  1808,  were  printed  in  Dublin.  This  curious  document 
is  the  first  that  has  given  the  pretended  history  of  the 
Scottish  Rite,  and  all  that  has  been  published  since  then 
as  to  the  origin  of  the  rite  has  been  extracted  more  or 
less  literally  from  it.  The  object  for  which  this  document 
was  produced  is  therein  explained — it  was  to  be  distributed 
and  sent,  in  the  form  of  a  circular,  to  all  the  Masonic  au- 
thorities upon  the  globe;  and  to  render  it  more  worthy 
of  belief,  and  to  give  it  greater  importance,  the  Supreme 
Council  at  Charleston  had  it  affirmed,  or  sworn  to,  by  the 
brethren  Isaac  Auld  and  Emmanuel  de  la  Motte,  approved 

1  It  will  be  remembered  that  the  rite  of  which  it  is  stated  he  was  chief  had 
but  twenty-five  degrees. 


THE   ANCIENT   AND    ACCEPTED    SCOTTISH   RITE. 


159 


)y  the  Grand  Master,  ad  vitam,  Colonel  Mitchell,  and  cer- 
tified to,  as  in  all  particulars  true  and  sincere,  by  Abraham 
Alexander,  Secretary  of  the  Holy  Empire.1 

The  preceding  recital  concerning  the  Scottish  Rite,  so 
far  as  quoted,  is  well  worthy  of  taking  rank  among  the 
products  of  that  noble  army  of  Masonic  authors  and  fab- 

-icators  of  new  rites,  who,  to  give  their  creations  some 
importance,  invent  with  the  greatest  facility,  time,  place, 
and  honorable  circumstances  attending  their  origin.  If 
the  authors  of  this  new  Scottish  Rite  have  not  considered 
it  necessary  to  assign  to  it  a  greater  antiquity ;  if  they 
have  not,  as  is  customary  with  most  writers  upon  Ma- 
sonry, placed  the  birth  of  their  rite  in  the  cradle  of  the 
world,  or  thereabouts,  it  is  because  they  have  reasoned  a 
little  more  logically  than  their  imitators.  The  name  of  Scot- 
tish not  being  any  better  known  to  antiquity  than  was  that 
of  Freemason,  it  reasonably  became  necessary  to  place  the 
origin  of  this  rite  at  an  epoch  which  had  some  connection 
with  history.  The  majority  of  our  self-styled  Masonic 
historians,  in  their  statements  as  to  the  origin  of  our  in- 
stitution, trouble  themselves  to  the  smallest  possible  ex- 
tent as  to  its  connection  with  written  history ;  for,  in 
speaking  of  its  antiquity,  they  appear  to  think  it  entirely 
unnecessary  to  describe  how  it  was  possible  for  it  to  de- 
scend intact  to  our  time  through  forty  or  fifty  centuries, 
which,  they  glibly  inform  us,  have  elapsed  since  its  birth. 
The  name  of  Freemason,  as  indicating  with  decision  and 
in  the  most  incontestable  manner  the  origin  of  the  insti- 
tution, is  not,  to  this  class  of  writers,  of  the  slightest  con- 
sequence. 

If  the  inventors  of  the  Scottish  Rite  of  thirty-three  de- 
grees have  not  been  as  careless  as  the  generality  of  theii 
predecessors,  they  have  not  been  much  more  happy  in  their 

'It  is  by  this  title  that  the  "Ancient  and  Accepted  Scottish  Rite" 
qualifies  the  country  over  which  it  extends  its  authority. 


160  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF    FREEMASONRY. 

exposition  of  its  origin.  Not  being  able  to  found  their 
creation  upon  any  act  more  or  Jess  authentic,  or  upon  any 
fact  of  history,  the  scaffolding  erected  by  them  to  support 
it  necessarily  gives  way  at  the  first  shock,  in  the  way  of 
an  earnest  examination,  to  which  they  submitted  it;  and 
thus  left  unsupported,  it  shares  the  fortune  of  the  creations 
of  their  predecessors  in  the  same  kind  of  speculation. 

In  overturning  this  scaffolding,  we  need  but  advance 
the  facts  of  history  and  compare  them  with  the  assertions 
contained  in  the  fragment  of  the  report  that  we  have 
quoted.  As  to  an  examination  of  the  question  of  fact 
whether  or  not  the  report  which  he  produced,  signed  by 
Frederick  Dalcho,  had  not  been  fabricated  by  himself 
subsequently  to  1802,  in  order  to  destroy  the  doubts  which 
attached  themselves  at  a  later  period  to  the  authenticity 
of  this  rite,  we  leave  that  to  one  side. 

In  the  beginning,  ancient  Freemasonry  (from  715  B.  0. 
to  the  year  400  of  our  era),  that  of  the  middle  ages  (from 
400  to  1500),  and  that  which  was  practiced  after  that  time 
in  England,  had  never  but  three  degrees  of  initiation. 
From  1640  to  1660  the  partisans  of  the  Stuarts,  abusing 
the  trust  reposed  in  them  by  the  Masonic  Fraternity,  and 
using  their  meetings  as  a  cloak  under  cover  of  which  to 
elaborate  their  schemes  of  monarchical  restoration,  created 
two  superior  degrees,  viz :  that  of  Scottish  Master  as  the 
fourth,  and  that  of  Templar  Mason  as  the  fifth  degree. 
"When  the  society  was  transformed,  in  1717,  at  London, 
and,  from  being  a  corporation  more  or  less  mechanical, 
became  an  institution  entirely  philosophic,  it  adopted  but 
the  three  primitive  or  symbolic  degrees.  Before  the  year 
1717  the  lodges  of  Freemasons  had  no  affiliations  outside 
of  England,  and  it  is  proven  incontestably  that  the  first 
lodge  of  the  modern  or  philosophic  Freemasonry  estab- 
lished outside  of  Great  Britain,  was  established  at  Dun- 
kirk, in  1721,  with  a  ritual  of  three  degrees.  A  third 
lodge  was  established  in  1725  at  Paris.  From  that  time 


THE   ANCIENT   AND   ACCEPTED    SCOTTISH   RITE.  161 

Freemasonry  extended  rapidly  into  all  the  other  countries 
of  the  north  of  Europe,  first  into  Belgium,  find  subse- 
quently into  Holland  and  Germany. 

The  rite  called  Scottish  is  a  bastard  child  of  Freema- 
sonry, to  which  the  policy  of  the  Stuart  interest  gave  birth. 
It  was  introduced  in  France,  between  1736  and  1738,  by 
the  Baron  Ramsay,  who  wTas  an  instrument  of  the  Jesuits.1 
This  partisan  of  the  Stuart  interest  was  the  first  propa- 
gandist of  this  rite  in  France,  wherein  he  extended  it  to 
many  parts,  in  a  few  years,  by  the  aid  of  his  delegates  and 
those  of  the  Jesuits;  but  it  was  not  until  after  the  arrival 
in  France  of  the  Pretender,  Charles  Edward,  that  the  rite 
called  Scottish  assumed  any  importance.  The  Pretender 
created  the  Chapter  of  Arras,  and  the  noblemen  of  his 
suite  immediately  besought  of  this^  chapter  warrants  with 
which  to  propagate  the  rite.  His  scale  had  then  aug- 
mented, and  from  seven  degrees  it  successively  arose  to 
twenty-five ;  for  we  find,  in  1758,2  a  chapter  or  council  of 
Emperors  of  the  East  and  West,  furnished  with  this  num- 
ber of  degrees,  established  at  Paris. 

From  this  time  all  the  fabricators  of  new  rites,  although 
they  increased  to  a,  frightful  extent,  had  the  good  sense 
not  to  augment  the  number  of  the  degrees,  but,  on  the 
contrary,  gradually  reduced  them — the  Scottish  Rite  alone 
containing  the  highest  number,  and  it,  from  1755  to  1802, 
being  limited  to  twenty-five.  After  the  congress  of  Wil- 
helmsbad  the  principal  Masonic  rites  were  subjected  to 
great  changes,  and  were  every-where  modified  and  reduced 
to  seven,  to  ten,  and  to  twelve  degrees. 

From  these  facts — which  are  incontestable — it  followed 
that  during  the  space  of  time  that  we  have  named  (from 
1755  to  1802),  there  did  not  exist  in  any  country — no  more 
in  England  than  in  France,  no  more  in  Prussia  than  in 
Sweden — councils  of  the  Scottish  Rite  of  thirty-three  de- 

1  See  the  History  of  the  origin  of  all  the  Rites.     2  Ibid. 
11 


162  GENERAL   HISTORY  OF   FREEMASONRY. 

grees.  !N"ow,  the  report  that  we  have  quoted  explicitly 
says:  "These  sublime  degrees  are  at  this  moment  (1802) 
as  they  were  at  the  time  of  their  first  formation ;  they  have 
not  undergone  the  slightest  alteration — the  least  addition." 
This  assertion  is  doubly  inexact ;  because,  in  the  first 
place,  previous  to  1801,  no  Scottish  Rite  of  thirty-three 
degrees  was  known ;  and,  in  the  second  place,  all  the  rites 
and  degrees,  without  regard  to  name  or  number,  were 
created  between  1736  and  1800,  and  they  had  nothing  in 
common  with  the  primitive  English  Rite. 

If,  then,  there  did  not  exist,  before  1802,  neither  a  Scot- 
tish Rite  of  thirty-three  degrees,  nor  councils  of  Grand 
Inspectors  General  and  Commanders,  it  follows  that  the 
Prince  of  Sudermanie  could  not  be  the  Grand  Master  of 
the  rite  in  Sweden,  nor,  for  the  same  reason,  could  Fred- 
erick the  Great  be  its  chief  in  Prussia. 

As  to  another  allegation  in  the  same  report — that  the 
King  of  Prussia  had  been  recognized  chief  of  these  coun- 
cils upon  the  two  hemispheres,  conformably  to  the  grand 
constitutions  of  this  Order,  which  were  ratified  on  the  25th 
of  October,  1762,  at  Berlin — it  is,  like  all  the  others,  desti- 
tute of  foundation  in  fact ;  and  this  we  will  proceed  to  prove. 

The  king,  Frederick  of  Prussia,  was  initiated  into  Ma- 
sonry on  the  15th  of  August,  1738,  at  Brunswick,  being 
then  prince  royal.1  The  lodge  at  the  Three  Globes^  in 
Berlin,  founded  by  some  French  artists  whom  the  king 
had  invited  to  Prussia,  was  elevated  by  him  to  the  rank 
of  a  Grand  Lodge  in  1744,  and  of  which  he  became  there- 
upon Grand  Master — a  dignity  that  he  exercised  until 
1747. 2  After  that  time  he  never  occupied  himself  actively 
with  Masonry.  In  his  interviews  with  the  brethren  who 
directed  the  Grand  Lodge  at  the  Three  Globes,  and  who 
kept  him  informed  as  to  what  occurred  of  a  Masonic 

1  See  Lenning's  Encyclopedia  of  Freemasonry,  book  4,  page  453,  2d  ed. 
*His  name,  nevertheless,  was  borne  upon  the  register  of  the  "Grand 
Lodge  at  the  Three  Globes,"  as  its  Grand  Master,  until  1755. 


THE    ANCIENT   AND   ACCEPTED   SCOTTISH  RITE.  168 

character,  he  continued  to  exhibit  his  attachment  to  our 
institution ;  but  when  the  different  new  systems,  brought 
into  Prussia  by  the  Marquis  of  Berny  and  the  officers  of 
the  army  of  Broglie,  disseminated  themselves  in  the  Ger- 
man lodges,  he  exhibited  himself  the  enemy  of  these  in- 
novations, and  expressed  his  disdain  for  these  high  degrees, 
as  was  his  manner,  freely  and  in  hard  terms,  prophesying 
that  they  would  one  day  be  a  fruitful  source  of  discord 
among  the  lodges  and  the  systems.  It  seemed  that  his 
prediction  was  to  be  verified ;  for  these  divers  systems  soon 
engendered  anarchy  within  the  lodges,  even  in  the  lodge 
at  the  Three  Globes  itself,  to  such  an  extent  that  dis- 
gusted him  with  Masonry,  without,  however,  changing 
his  preconceived  opinions  of  the  institution.  After  this 
he  authorized  the  creation  of  two  other  Grand  Lodges  at 
Berlin ;  but  he  never  had  any  other  connection  with  them 
than  to  respond  with  thanks  to  their  complimentary  ex- 
pressions on  the  occurrence  of  his  birthday.  The  last 
letter  that  King  Frederick  wrote,  under  these  circum- 
stances, is  addressed  to  the  Grand  Master  of  La  Goaneric, 
and  bears  date  7th  February,  1778.  As  has  been  well  re- 
marked, this  letter  is  written  in  a  style  very  different  from 
what  he  had  been  accustomed  to  use  in  addressing  the 
lodges.1  After  this  letter,  he  abstained  from  even  thank- 

1  We  extract  from  Lenning's  Encyclopedia  a  transcript  of  this  letter,  as 
it  appears  on  page  455  of  that  work : 

"  The  king  has  been  sensible  of  the  homage  that  the  Lodge  of  Friend- 
ship at  Berlin  has  rendered  to  His  Majesty  in  the  discourse  pronounced 
by  its  orator  on  the  anniversary  of  the  day  of  his  birth.  His  Majesty 
bas  found  such  expressions  very  conformable  to  the  sentiments  which  he 
has  always  attributed  to  that  lodge  as  sustained  toward  his  person;  and 
he  readily  assures  that  lodge,  in  his  turn,  that  he  will  always  interest 
himself  with  pleasure  in  the  happiness  and  prosperity  of  an  assembly 
which,  like  it,  places  its  first  glory  in  the  indefatigable  and  uninter- 
rupted propagation  of  all  the  virtues  of  the  honest  man  and  the  true 
patriot  [Signed]  "  FREDERICK. 

"  POTSDAM,  7th  February,  1778. 
"  To  the  Royal  York  of  Friendship  Lodge  of  Freemi 


164  GENERAL   HISTORY  OF   FREEMASONRY. 

ing  the  lodges,  when  they  felicitated  him  upon  the  recur- 
rence of  the  occasion  we  have  mentioned.  During  the 
last  thirty  years  of  his  reign,  King  Frederick  took  no 
active  part  whatever  in  Masonry  ;  this  is  a  notorious  fact, 
and  proven  by  the  minutes  of  the  Grand  Lodges  of  Ber- 
lin.1 Then  it  follows  that  the  revision  of  the  high  degrees 
and*  the  Masonic  constitutions  which  they  attribute  to  him, 
and  which  should  have  taken  place,  according  to  the  re- 
port in  question,  in  1786 — the  year  of  his  death — is  no 
more  correct  than  is  his  augmentation  of  the  degrees. 

As  to  the  rituals  which  lie  should  have  prepared  him- 
self for  these  high  degrees  the  same  year,2  they  could  not 

1We  can  support  these  assertions  with  not  only  the  letters  which  we 
have  received  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Grand  Lodge  at  the  Three  Globes 
in  Berlin,  but  also  with  the  minutes  of  this  authority,  bearing  date,  re- 
spectively, the  17th  August,  1833,  and  19th  December,  1861,  which  de- 
clare, in  the  most  formal  and  positive  manner,  that  the  documents  sent 
to  it  at  different  times,  styled  "Grand  Constitutions  of  the  Scottish  Rite 
of  thirty-third,"  as  well  those  written  in  Latin  and  in  French  as  those 
written  in  the  English  language,  and  attributed  to  King  Frederick  II — 
documents  of  which  the  authenticity  is  doubtful — are  all  apocryphal,  as, 
in  general,  are  all  the  other  acts  relating  to  this  rite  which  pretend  to 
have  emanated  from  that  prince.  (See  Lenning's  Encyclopedia  of  Free- 
masonry, edition  of  1862,  pages  455  and  456.) 

There  is  other  proof  not  less  authentic,  which  puts  to  flight  the  fa- 
bles invented  by  the  partisans  of  the  Scottish  Rite.  It  is  that  it  is  well 
known  that  the  King  Frederick  II,  on  the  9th  September,  1785,  went  to 
Berlin  for  the  last  time,  to  visit  his  sister,  the  Princess  Amelia,  and  the 
next  day  he  reviewed  the  artillery  at  Wedding.  From  thence  he  re- 
turned to  Potsdam,  where  he  passed  the  whole  winter  in  bodily  suffering 
from  the  malady  that  eventually  caused  his  death.  lie  was  moved  in  a 
very  unquiet  state,  on  the  17th  April,  1786,  to  his  retreat  of  iSans  Sot'd, 
and  there  died  four  months  afterward.  (See  the  same  work,  page  456.) 

We  will  abstain  from  any  other  reflections  upon  this  subject,  and 
merely  add,  as  a  last  fact  in  support  of  our  assertions,  that,  to  the  knowl- 
edge of  every  lodge  in  Berlin,  the  King  Frederick  II  in  no  manner  occu- 
pied himself  with  Masonry  during  the  last  thirty  years  of  his  life. 

2  See  the  Book  of  Gold  of  the  Supreme  Council  for  France,  printed  in 
1807,  page  7.  It  is  in  direct  contradiction  with  the  report  of  the  brother 
Dalcho,  who  does  not  attribute  to  King  Frederick  but  the  creation  of  the 


THE   ANCIENT   AND   ACCEPTED   SCOTTISH   RITE.  165 

in  any  case  have  been  drawn  up  by  bim,  as  he  was  at  this 
time  in  a  dying  condition  ;  and,  long  before  his  death — 
winch  took  place  on  the  17th  August,  1786 — he  was  to- 
tally incapable  of  any  species  of  labor. 

"With  regard  to  the  assertions  relating  to  the  grand  con- 
stitutions, or  rules  and  regulations  of  the  rite,  of  1762, 
that  King  Frederick  II  should  have  himself  ratified  on 
the  1st  of  May,  1786,  they  are  equally  destitute  of  founda- 
tion, since  these  rituals  did  not  exist  at  this  time,  but  were 
evidently  fabricated  in  1804.  In  a  word,  every  thing  con- 
nected with  this  rite  that  pretends  to  be  historic  has  been 
invented  in  part  by  its  creators,  and  finished  by  its  propa- 
gandists. 

To  all  these  simple  facts,  which  are  truly  historic,  de- 
structive as  they  are  of  the  truth  of  the  principal  asser- 
tions contained  in  the  report  of  Frederick  Dalcho — though 
that  report  is  affirmed,  approved,  and  certified  as  true  by 
many  high  dignitaries  of  this  rite — we  could  add  others 
not  less  conclusive,  did  we  not  believe  such  addition  su- 
perfluous. 

We  will  now  enumerate  the  facts  which  preceded  the 
establishment  of  this  authority  in  Paris,  and  indicate  the 
origin  of  the  Masonic  power  which  constituted  it;  but  to 
do  this  we  must  go  back  nearly  a  century. 


thirty-third  degree,  and  not  that  of  the  eight  degrees  from  the  twenty- 
fifth  to  the  thirty-third.  This  Book  of  Gold  (it  would  be  better  named 
the  book  of  brass}  thus  explains  the  creation  of  these  degrees : 

"  It  would  appear  that  the  institution  of  the  Supreme  Council  of  the 
thirty-third  and  last  degree  is  the  work  of  this  prince  (Frederick  II),  who, 
upon  his  ascent  to  the  throne,  declared  himself  the  protector  of  the  Order 
in  his  states;  that  the  dignity  of  Sovereign  of  Sovereigns,  in  the  Consis- 
tories of  Princes  of  the  Royal  Secret,  resided  in  his  person  ;  that  it  was 
him  who  augmented  to  thirty-three  the  twenty-five  degrees  of  the  ancient 
and  accepted  rite,  as  they  were  decreed  in  1762:  and,  finally,  that  he 
delegated  his  sovereignty  to  the  Supreme  Council,  who  named  it  'of  the 
thirty-third  and  last  degree,'  for  the  purpose  of  exercising  it  after  hia 
death." 


166  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

In  1761,  a  brother  named  Stephen  Morin,  by  confession  an 
Israelite,  a  member  of  the  then  National  Grand  Lodge  of 
France,  and  also  of  a  chapter  of  high  degrees,  having 
been  called  to  America  by  some  private  interests,  mani- 
fested the  desire  to  establish  in  those  countries  the  Masonry 
of  the  higher  degrees,  then  called  "Masonry  of  Perfec- 
tion ;"  and,  with  this  object,  he  addressed  himself  to  the 
brother  Lacorne,  dancing-master,  and  at  that  time  a  de- 
posed substitute  of  the  Grand  Master,  the  Count  of  Cler- 
mont.  Upon  the  proposition  made  by  the  latter  for  this 
purpose  to  the  Sovereign  Grand  Council  of  Princes  of  the 
East  and  West,  there  was,  on  the  27th  August,  1761,  de- 
livered to  the  brother  Morin  a  patent  or  warrant,  by  which 
be  was  created  Inspector  General  of  all  the  lodges  of  the 
~New  World,  etc. l 

Arrived  at  St.  Domingo,  the  brother  Stephen  Morin 
named,  by  virtue  of  his  patent,  one  of  his  co-religionists, 
the  brother  Moses  M.  Hayes,  Deputy  Inspector  for  North 
America.  He  afterward  conferred  the  same  dignity  upon 
a  brother  Frankin  for  Jamaica  and  the  English  windward 
islands,  and  upon  the  brother  Colonel  Prevost  for  the 
English  leeward  islands  and  British  army.  Some  time  af- 
terward the  brother  Frankin  transferred  his  authority  to 
the  brother  Moses  Hayes,  Grand  Master  at  Boston,  Mass. 
In  his  turn,  the  brother  Moses  M.  Hayes  named,  as  In- 
spector General  for  South  Carolina,  another  of  his  co-re- 
ligionists, the  brother  Isaac  Da  Costa,  who  established,  in 
1783,  a  Sublime  Grand  Lodge  of  Perfection  at  Charleston. 
To  this  brother,  after  his  death,  succeeded  another  Israel- 
ite, named  Joseph  Myers.  There  were  successively  cre- 
ated by  these  self-styled  Grand  Inspectors  General  other 
inspectors  for  the  different  States  of  America.  .The  brother 
Bush  was  appointed  for  Pennsylvania,  and  the  brother 
Barend  M.  Spitzer  for  Georgia. 

1See  the  text  of  this  patent  in  the  History  of  Freemasonry  in  France, 
page  88. 


THE    ANCIENT    AND    ACCEPTED    SCOTTISH    RITE.  167 

On  the  15th  May,  1781,  these  brethren  assembled  in 
council,  at  Philadelphia,  the  different  inspectors  for  those 
States.  It  was  by  this  council  that  the  degree  of  Inspector 
General  was  conferred  for  Jamaica  on  the  brother  Moses 
Cohen.  It  also  appointed  to  this  dignity  Isaac  Long  and 
the  brethren  De  La  Hogue,  Croze-Magnan,  St.  Paul,  Petit, 
and  Marie — all  residents  of  Charleston — to  propagate  the 
rite  in  the  different  countries  of  America. 

There  existed,  as  we  have  already  stated,  at  Charleston, 
a  Grand  Lodge  of  Perfection,  with  a  Council  of  Princes 
of  Jerusalem,  founded  by  the  brother  Da  Costa  in  1783. 
To  this  Grand  Lodge,  on  the  27th  February,  1788,  was 
united  the  Royal  Arch  Chapter,  founded  by  authority  of 
a  chapter  of  this  title  at  Dublin ;  and  it  was  by  this  body 
that  the  brother  Colonel  Mitchell  was  appointed,  on  the 
2d  of  August,  1795,  a  Deputy  Inspector  General  for  the 
State  of  South  Carolina,  who,  in  the  plenitude  of  his 
powers,  in  1797  conferred  this  title  on  the  Count  De 
Grasse-Tilly,  a  resident  of  St.  Domingo,  and  assigned  to 
him  the  same  power  for  the  French  colonies  of  America. 

This  council  of  Inspectors  General  styled  itself  the  Grand 
Council  of  Princes  of  Jerusalem,  and  all  the  constitutions 
delivered  by  it  to  its  inspectors  were  always  given  in  this 
name,  seeing  that  the  first  patent  delivered  to  Stephen 
Morin,  in  1761,  emanated  from  an  authority  which  had 
given  itself  this  name. 

This  council  of  Princes  of  Jerusalem,  sitting  at  Charles- 
ton, created  some  inspectors  of  lodges  and  chapters,  whom 
it  liberally  remunerated.  In  1801  it  was  composed  of  the 
brethren  Colonel  Mitchell,  Frederick  Dalcho,  Abraham 
Auld,  Isaac  Auld,  Emmanuel  de  la  Motte,  and  some  others 
of  less  mark,  who  all  belonged  to  the  Jewish  religion.1 

It  may  readily  be  believed  that  the  constitutions  granted 
by  this  council,  composed,  as  we  have  indicated,  of  breth- 

*See  Ragon's  Masonic  Orthodoxy,  page  181,  which  represents  the  mem- 
bers of  this  council  as  audacious  jugglers. 


168  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

ren  belonging  to  the  Jewish  religion,  were  not  as  exten- 
sive as  they  probably  desired ;  and  it  was  this  feeling1, 
without  doubt,  that  suggested  the  idea  of  creating  some- 
thing new — something  striking,  and  of  a  nature  to  procure 
them  some  advantage  not  offered  by  their  position.  The 
abuse  that  they  had  already  made  of  the  powers  conferred 
npon  them — although  the  conferring  authority  itsolf  was 
more  or  less  illegal,  emanating,  as  it  did,  from  a  self- 
created  body — should  have  induced  all  earnest  Masons  and 
honest  men  to  have  shunned  a  similar  work,  and  particu- 
larly one  that  they  dared  not  avow  ;  but  personal  ambition 
and  self-interest  prevailed  over  the  Masonic  principles  and 
common  honesty  which  these  brethren  had  sworn  to  ob- 
serve, the  speculation  was  engaged  in,  and,  unhappily  for 
the  character  of  Freemasonry,  it  has,  to  some  extent, 
proved  a  success. 

A  new  Masonic  power  was  combined  and  created  under 
the  title  of  "Supreme  Council  of  the  Grand  Commanders 
Inspectors  General  of  the  thirty -third  and  last  degree  of 
the  Ancient  and  Accepted  Scottish  Rite." 

This  new  creation  naturally  bore  the  same  illegal  char- 
acter, and  was  accompanied  by  the  same  deplorable  cir- 
cumstances which  had  already  signalized  the  factious  pe- 
riod from  1740  to  1770 — a  period  of  false  titles,  illegal 
constitutions,  antedated  regulations,  etc. 

The  new  authority  lost  no  time  in  constituting  itself. 
It  elected  its  own  members  to  the  highest  dignities  of 
their  new  order  of  knighthood,  and  delivered  to  them 
patents  with  which  they  were  empowered  to  institute  this 
newT  rite  wherever  their  fortunes  should  carry  them.  The 
brother  Colonel  Mitchell  was  nominated  the  first  Grand 
Commander.  He  died  at  Charleston,  in  1841. 

But  to  facilitate  the  progress  of  the  new  rite,  it  was 
necessary  to  give  it  a  respectable  origin,  and  support  it 
with  some  historic  names  as  those  of  its  originators  and 
protectors.  This  trust  was  committed  to  the  brethren 


THE    ANCIENT    AND    ACCEPTED    SCOTTISH    RITE.  169 

Paleho,  Auld,  and  La  Motte,  and  we  have  seen  by  the  re- 
port from  which  we  have  quoted  how  they  discharged  it. 

Probably  among  the  first  deliverances  of  the  new  power 
was  the  warrant  sent  to  De  Grasse-Tilly — who  had  some 
time  previously  been  appointed  as  Inspector  General  of 
the  Rite  of  Perfection  for  the  French  colonies  in  Amer- 
ica— to  enable  him  to  establish,  in  the  Island  of  St.  Do- 
mingo, a  Supreme  Council  of  the  new  rite.  This  patent 
conferred  upon  him  the  title  of  Lieutenant  Commander  of 
the  new  rite,  and  is  dated  the  21st  February,  1802. 

Having  little  hope  of  being  recognized  as  a  Masonic 
authority  in  America,  this  new  power  sought  the  recog- 
nition of  the  different  Masonic  powers  established  in  Eu- 
rope; and,  with  this  object,  it  sent  to  all  the  Grand  Lodges 
of  Europe  a  circular,  dated  the  llth  of  December,  1802, 
by  which  it  informed  them  of  its  installation,  and  gave 
them  the  names  of  the  degrees  which  it  conferred  itself, 
and  authorized  its  Grand  Commander  to  confer  in  its 
name. 

The  Grand  Lodge  of  St.  John  of  Scotland,  located  in 
Edinburgh — which  was  generally  regarded,  though  wrong- 
full}*,  as  the  mother  lodge  of  all  the  Scotch  Rites,  and 
which,  on  this  account,  had  the  greatest  interest  in  pro- 
testing against  this  new  creation — was  indignant  upon  sight 
of  this  circular,  and,  in  the  response  that  it  made  thereto, 
declared  "that  such  a  number  of  degrees  could  not  but 
inspire  the  most  profound  surprise  in  those  professing 
Scottish  Masonry;  that  it  could  never  recognize  such  a 
collection,  seeing  that  it  had  always  preserved  the  Scot- 
tish Rite  in  the  simplicity  of  its  primitive  institution,  and 
that  it  would  never  disarrange  its  system  in  this  respect." 

This  Grand  Lodge  of  Scotland,  sitting  at  Edinburgh 
and  directing  all  the  lodges  of  Scotland,  has,  in  fact,  never 
practiced  any  other  rite  but  that  of  the  three  symbolic  de- 

JSee  History  of  Freemasonry r,  by  Alexander  Laurie 


170  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

grees;1  and,  upon  many  occasions,  it  has  disowned,  in  the 
most  formal  manner,  the  charters  and  patents  which  have 
been  attributed  to  it,  and"  by  which  it  was  accused  of  hav- 
ing authorized  the  exercise  of  the  high  degrees  called 
Scottish.  In  view  of  this  fact,  we  believe  it  to  be  im- 
portant and  necessary  to  the  better  understanding  of 
Freemasonry  every-where,  and  to  dissipate  the  opinion 
that  prevails  upon  this  subject,  to  here  state  that  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  St.  John  of  Scotland,  sitting  at  Edin- 
burgh, is  an  utter  stranger  to  all  the  systems  called  Scot- 
tish Masonry,  practiced  as  wvell  in  France  as  elsewhere  in 
Europe  and  America.2 

1The  regulations  that  it  published  in  1836  were  entitled  "The  Laws 
and  Constitutions  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  Ancient  and  Honorable 
Fraternity  of  Free  and  Accepted  Masons  of  Scotland;"  while  article 
four  contained  a  passage  thus  expressed:  "The  Grand  Lodge  of  Scot- 
land practices  no  other  degree  of  Freemasonry  but  those  of  Apprentice, 
Fellow-craft,  and  Master  Mason." 

8 It  was  by  a  patent  of  this  same  Charleston  Council — father  of  all  the 
bastard  children  of  Freemasonry — that  the  first  Supreme  Council  estab- 
lished in  Great  Britain  was  organized,  at  Dublin,  in  1808.  The  latter  was 
the  only  Supreme  Council  that  existed  on  English  territory  prior  to  1846. 
In  that  year,  however,  there  were  organized  one  at  London  and  another 
at  Edinburgh.  The  first  was  instituted  by  Dr.  Crucifix,  editor  of  the 
Freemason's  Magazine,  by  authority  of  a  patent  obtained  by  him  from  a 
Supreme  Council  sitting  at  New  York;  and  the  last  was  instituted  b*y 
Walter  Arnott  d'Arlary,  who  fabricated  for  himself  a  constituting  power. 
The  title  of  this  council  being  in  consequence  disputed,  it  was  reconsti- 
tuted on  the  14th  July,  and  installed  on  the  17th,  by  the  brother  Mor- 
rison of  Greenfield,  a  member  of  the  Supreme  Council  for  France,  who 
was  invested  with  powers,  called  regular,  for  this  purpose. 

The  most  deplorable  fact  in  regard  to  all  these  creations,  the  regular 
as  well  as  the  irregular,  is,  that  they  are  constantly  fighting,  criminating, 
recriminating,  and  anathematizing  each  other.  Thus,  the  Supreme  Coun- 
cil at  Edinburgh  (which  must  not  be  confounded  with  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  Edinburgh,  the  only  regular  Masonic  authority  in  Scotland,  and 
which  recognizes  but  the  three  symbolic  degrees,)  declared,  immediately 
after  its  reconstitution  in  the  manner  indicated,  that  it  would  not  recog- 
nize the  letters  or  diplomas  emanating  from  the  Supreme  Council  at- 
tached to  the  Grand  Orient  of  France;  and  also  interrupted  all  commu- 


THE   ANCIENT   AND   ACCEPTED    SCOTTISH   RITE.  171 

These  pretended  high  degrees,  into  which  have  been  in- 
troduced the  reveries  of  the  Templars,  the  speculations  of 
the  mystics,  the  deceptions  of  the  alchemists,  the  magii,  and 
many  other  idealists  more  or  less  dreamy,  and  the  greater 
part  of  which  repose  upon  legends  absurd  and  contra- 
dictory with  the  truths  of  history,  are,  in  fact,  a  mass  of 
informal  and  undigested  matters.  Those  of  the  Scottish 
Kite,  in  particular,  are  a  monument  of  folly,  and  which 
would  have  been  derided  as  nonsense  long  ago  but  for 
man's  vanity,  which  is  gratified  by  the  titles  and  decora- 
tions of  which  this  rite  is  the  parent. 

After  this  exposition  of  the  origin  of  the  Scottish  (33d) 
Kite,  let  us  cast  our  eyes  over  the  condition  of  Masonry  in 
Paris,  immediately  before  this  rite  was  brought  to  that 
city  by  the  Count  De  Grasse-Tilly. 

The  compromise  which  took  place,  in  1799,  between  the 
Grand  Lodge  and  the  Grand  Orient  of  France  had  not 
been  joined  in  by  all  the  brethren,  and  the  intolerance  ex- 
hibited by  the  Grand  Orient  gave  occasion  to  a  consider- 


nication  with  the  Supreme  Council  of  Dublin,  until  the  latter  had  ceased 
connection  with  the  Supreme  Council  established,  since  1815,  within  the 
Grand  Orient  of  France.  We  have  already  stated  how  this  Supreme 
Council  of  Edinburgh  was  healed.  Since  then  it  has  set  itself  up  to  be 
the  most  regular  of  all  the  Supreme  Councils,  and  has  declared  schis- 
matic the  council  in  London,  which,  as  we  have  shown,  was  established 
by  virtue  of  a  constitution  delivered  by  the  Supreme  Council  existing,  in 
1813,  at  New  York. 

These  Supreme  Councils  established  in  Great  Britain  enjoy  but  little 
reputation— so  little,  indeed,  that  some  brethren  of  merit  who  have  been 
elected  by  them  honorary  members,  have  refused  to  accept  the  distinc- 
tion. 

Unhappily,  this  mercenary  creation,  as  unmasonic  as  it  is  illegal,  has, 
since  1846,  been  extended  into  and  has  established  its  Supreme  Coun. 
cils  in  many  countries  The  Supreme  Council  at  Charleston  was  re- 
vived in  1845,  after  a  sleep  of  nearly  forty  years.  And  although  in  no 
case  are  the  bodies  composing  the  rite  recognized  by  the  Grand  Lodges, 
they  are  by  the  Grand  Orients,  which  confer,  in  common  with  them,  their 
high  degrees. 


172  GENERAL    HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

able  number  of  those  members  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  who 
did  not  wish  to  recognize  the  Grand  Orient,  to  reject  the 
terms  of  the  compromise.  It  was  more  particularly  the 
party  called  Scottish  who  exhibited  this  disposition  most 
bitterly;  and  their  reason  was,  that  as  the  Grand  Orient, 
by  the  terms  of  the  compromise,  recognized  only  a  rite  of 
nit  seven  degrees — the  highest  of  which  was  that  of  Rose 
Cross — their  higher  degrees,  with  their  decorations  and  de- 
vices, could  not  be  worn  by  them  or  made  available  in  the 
assemblies  or  exhibitions  of  the  legislative  body. 

The  Grand  Orient  acted  in  this  case,  as  in  many  others, 
not  as  a  Masonic  authority,  but  as  an  oligarchical  power, 
and  excluded  the  Scottish  Rite  Masons  from  the  lodges  of 
its  jurisdiction,  by  an  order  dated  the  12th  November, 
1802.  This  new  act  of  intolerance  served  no  other  pur- 
pose than  to  irritate  the  brethren  excluded,  and  was  the 
principal  reason  that  induced  them  to  propose  founding  a 
new  Masonic  power.  Some  preparatory  meetings  were 
held,  and  many  lodges  of  Paris,  and  particularly  the  Lodge 
of  St.  Alexander  of  Scotland,  embraced  openly  the  cause 
of  the  dissenters. 

Following  these  inclinations,  there  was  at  first  formed  a 
new  authority,  established  by  virtue  of  a  patent  that  a 
brother  named  Hackett — who  had  been  a  notary  in  St. 
Domingo — had  brought  from  America,  and  which  had 
been  delivered  to  him  by  a  Supreme  Council  sitting  at  NQW 
York,  and  professing  the  Rite  of  Perfection  of  twenty-five 
degrees  that  Stephen  Morin  had  taken  to  America  in  176L 
This  authority  took  the  title  of  "  Supreme  Council  of 
America." 

But  some  months  afterward,  also  from  St.  Domingo, 
the  brother  Count  De  Grasse-Tilly  arrived,  bringing  with 
him  the  patent  of  the  Supreme  Council  of  Charleston,  and 
the  history  of  which  we  have  already  given.  This  patent 
conferred  upon  him  the  right  to  constitute  chapters,  coun- 
cils, and  consistories  in  the  leeward  and  windward  islands, 


THE    ANCIENT   AND    ACCEPTED    SCOTTISH    RITE,  173 

that  is  to  say,  in  St.  Domingo  and  the  other  French  colo- 
nies of  America ;  but,  in  consequence  of  the  political  events 
which,  occurring  about  this  time,  occasioned  the  loss  of 
this  island  to  France,  he  had  no  opportunity  of  realizing 
his  projects.  He  had  then  returned  to  France,  where,  re- 
gardless of  the  conditions  of  his  patent,  he  announced 
himself  as  supreme  chief  of  a  new  Masonry  of  thirty-three 
degrees.  Having  been  informed  of  the  large  body  of  ex- 
cluded brethren  who,  since  1802 — being  prohibited  by  the 
Grand  Orient  from  participating  in  the  meetings  of  the 
fraternity  in  consequence  of  their  refusal,  for  the  reasons 
already  given,  to  sign  the  compromise  of  that  year — had 
assembled  themselves  in  a  cellar  of  the  Fisherman's  Walk, 
he  approached  these  brethren,  and  immediately  arranged 
to  organize,  with  these  elements  and,  by  virtue  of  the  pat- 
ent delivered  to  him  on  the  21st  February,  1802,  at  Charles- 
ton, to  constitute  a  Masonic  power,  under  the  pompous 
title  of  the  "Supreme  Council  for  France  of  Sovereign 
Grand  Inspectors  General  of  the  33d  and  last  degree  of 
the  Ancient  and  Accepted  Scottish  Rite."  This  done,  on 
the  22d  of  October,  1805,  the  new  authority  organized  and 
installed  a  Scottish  Grand  Lodge,  as  we  have  stated  at  the 
beginning  of  this  history.1 

1  We  regret  much  to  find,  in  a  work  that  we  consider  as  one  of  the 
most  important  among  tho?e  composing  the  literature  of  Freemasonry, 
Btyled  "The  Philosophical  History  of  Freemasonry"  by  the  brethren  Kauff- 
man  and  Cherpin,  the  voluntary  omission  these  authors  have  made, 
contrary  to  the  duty  of  an  historian,  in  not  mentioning  at  this  date 
(1805)  the  foundation  of  the  Scottish  Grand  Lodge,  nor  that  of  the  Su- 
preme Council,  and  in  feigning  to  be  completely  ignorant  that  there  ex- 
isted at  this  time  any  Masonic  authority  in  France  of  the  name  of  Su- 
preme Council.  If  the  brethren  K.  and  C.  have  believed  it  their  duty  to 
respect  the  oath  that  they  have  taken  to  the  Grand  Orient — to  recognize 
it  as  the  sole  legislative  authority  of  Freemasonry  in  France,  and  to  not 
admit  that  there  can  exist  any  other — we  shall  not  follow  their  example, 
first,  because  we  have  not  taken  any  such  oath  ;  and,  second,  because  that 
we  believe  it  ever  to  be  the  duty  of  the  historian,  in  his  relation  of  facts, 
to  flinch  not,  from  any  cause  whatever,  in  his  object  of  relating  the  truth. 


174  GENERAL   HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

As  our  view  of  Masonry  is  similar  to  that  of  these  brethren,  and  as  we 
find  ourself  in  communion  with  them,  in  a  more  or  less  degree,  in  ideas, 
sentiments,  and  iri  nearly  every  matter  connected  with  the  institution,  we 
are  truly  pained  to  find  in  their  book,  eo  praiseworthy  and  meritorious 
in  almost  every  respect,  the  omission  that  we  have  mentioned;  and, 
in  addition  thereto,  a  general  partiality  very  significant  in  favor  of  the 
Grand  Orient — a  partiality  of  which  we  distinctly  comprehend  the  good 
ntention,  but  which  our  conscience  will  not  permit  us  to  imitate.  On  the 
contrary,  to  seek  the  truth  and  to  disseminate  it  with  courage,  has  always 
been  our  motto.  We  believe  that  Masonry  will  be  better  served  by 
speaking  the  truth  without  reserve,  though  that  annunciation  may  seem 
to  its  detriment,  than  in  expressing  the  accepted  views  of  those  who,  like 
the  brethren  K.  and  C.,  may  have  some  reason  or  weakness  for  failing 
to  represent  facts  as  they  know  them. 


REMARKS  IN  CONNECTION  WITH  THE  FOREGOING  HISTORY  OF  THE  ORIGIN  OF 
THE  ANCIENT  AND  ACCEPTED  SCOTTISH  RITE. 

BROTHER  REBOLD,  in  his  preceding  history  of  a  rite  that  during  the 
past  fifteen  years  has  gradually  increased  in  importance  in  America,  can 
not  be  said  to  have  gratified  the  brethren  who  have  given  their  thoughts 
and  time  to  its  dissemination  in  the  United  States  or  elsewhere.  He  has 
given  us  a  plain  narrative  of  unvarnished  statements  of  fact;  he  has 
proved  conclusively  that  this  rite  was  either  created  by  parties  named 
in  Charleston,  S.  C.,  or,  from  the  twenty  five  degrees  of  the  Rite  of  Per- 
fection as  known  in  1761,  and  which  Brother  Stephen  Morin  brought  to 
America,  it  was,  in  1802,  there  and  by  those  persons  extended  to  the 
thirty-three  degrees  of  the  present  Ancient  and  Accepted  Scottish  Rite; 
and  he  has  furnished  most  conclusive  circumstantial  evidence  to  support 
the  belief  entertained  by  at  least  every  learned  German  Freemason  in 
America  and  elsewhere,  that  Frederick  the  Great  never  had  any  knowl- 
edge of  the  rite  in  its  present  form,  whatever  knowledge  he  might  have 
had  of  it  as  the  Rite  of  Perfection  of  twenty-five  degrees. 

lender  these  circumstances,  the  friends  of  the  Ancient  and  Accepted 
Scottish  Rite  find  themselves  in  the  predicament  Sir  William  Drummond 
describes,  in  his  preface  to  Origenes,  when  he  says,  "In  questions  un- 
connected with  sacred  and  important  interests,  men  are  rarely  very  anx 
ious  to  discriminate  exactly  between  truth  and  fiction ;  and  few  of  us 
would,  probably,  be  much  pleased  with  the  result,  could  it  now  be  certainly 
proved  that  Troy  never  existed,  and  that  Thebes,  with  its  hundred  gates, 
was  no  more  than  a  populous  village.  It  is  perhaps  still  with  a  secret 
wish  to  be  convinced  against  our  judgment,  that  we  reject  as  fables  the 


THE   ANCIENT   AND    ACCEPTED   SCOTTISH    RITE.  175 


t 


stories  told  us  of  the  Grecian  Hercules,  or  of  the  Persian  Rustem ;  and 
that  we  assign  to  the  heroes  and  giants  of  early  times  the  strength  and 
stature  of  ordinary  men."  So  it  is  with  our  Ancient  and  Accepted  Scot- 
tish Rite.  It  is  proven  to  be  neither  an  ancient  rite  nor  one  accepted  by 
or  acceptable  to  but  a  very  small  portion  of  the  Masonic  Fraternity,  nor 
is  it  a  Scottish — otherwise  Jacobin — rite;  and  yet  we  wish  to  be  con- 
vinced, even  against  our  judgment,  that  it  comes  up  to  the  mark  set  by 
these  conditions,  because  our  prejudices  have  long  cherished  so  pleasing 
an  idea. 

But,  although  shorn  of  what  has  been  considered  its  brightest  attri- 
bute, viz.,  its  creation  by  Frederick  the  Great;  and  although  deprived  of 
such  regal  parentage  by  being  proven,  instead,  to  be  the  progeny  of  five 
mercenary  Israelites  of  Charleston,  S.  C.,  the  rite,  so  far  as  it  can  subserve 
any  useful  purpose  in  connection  with  Freemasonry,  can  not  lose  any  of 
its  excellence.  If  its  claims  to  regal  parentage  are  not  well  founded,  its 
advocates  are  maintaining  a  fallacy  in  their  advancement  of  such  claims, 
and  do  constantly  find  themselves  in  a  dilemma  when  proofs  are  de- 
manded which  it  is  impossible  for  them  to  produce.  And  as  the  case 
has  been  candidly  stated  by  Brother  Rebold,  and  with  the  fewest  possible 
offensive  reflections  upon  the  creators  of  the  rite,  and  none  at  all  upon 
those  who — its  present  friends  and  patrons — conscientiously  believe  that 
it  i&  calculated  to  confer  dignity  upon  Freemasonry,  no  exceptions  can  be 
taken  to  the  object  I  have  had  in  view  in  the  translation  and  publication 
of  this  work,  which  was  to  disseminate  the  truth1  with  regard  to  every 
portion  of  the  history  of  Freemasonry  in  Europe. 

I  fear,  however,  that  the  patrons  as  well  as  the  propagators  of  the 
rite,  in  our  own  day,  have  given  too  much  significance,  in  their  regards 
for  it,  to  that  remark  of  Horace,  in  his  "Ars  Poetica,"  beginning  with — 

"  Intererit  multum  Davusne  loquatur  an  heros" — 

and  not  enough  to  whatever  inherent  excellence  the  rite  itself  may  pos- 
sess. If  this  should  be  the  fact,  as  a  S.  P.  R.  S.,  I  have  no  better  propo- 
sition to  suggest  to  the  chiefs  of  the  rite  than  the  following: 

1.  Remove  all   equivocality  as  to  its  origin   by  excising  the   present 
statements  upon  that  subject  from  the  work,  lectures,  and  history,  wher- 
ever they  occur ;  and. 

2.  Then  take  the  thirty  degrees  of  the  rite  (all  of  which  are  given  in 
America)    and   compress  them   into    twenty-one,   which   done,   fit   these 
Iwenty-one  to  the  present  American  system  or  rite  of  twelve  degrees. 

1  Brother  Rebold  has  been  officially  pronounced  by  the  highest  Masonic  au- 
thority in  France,  the  Grand  Orient — through  its  Deputy  Grand  Master,  the 
Chevalier  Heullant — a  careful  and  impartial  Masonic  historian. 


176  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

By  this  arrangement,  all  doubt  as  to  the  origin  of  what  might  then 
be  called  the  Reformed  and  Accepted  American  Rite  of  Thirty-three  De- 
grees will  be  removed,  and  such  rite  will,  in  a  short  time,  be  gener- 
ally understood  and  appreciated  as  a  work  which,  being  necessary  for 
the  satisfaction  and  unity  of  the  Fraternity  in  America,  was  undertaken 
by  enlightened  American  Freemasons,  and  successfully  accomplished. 

J.  F.  B. 


A  CONCISE  HISTORY 

OF    THE 

EGYPTIAN    RITE  OF  MISRAIM,1 

SINCE  ITS  CREATION,  IN  1806,  AT  MILAN,  TO  THE 
PRESENT  TIME. 


IN  a  work  published  in  Paris,  in  1848,  under  the  title 
of  "  The  Masonic  Order  of  Misraim"  the  brother  Mark  Be- 

1  REFLECTIONS  ON  THE  RITES  OF  MISRAIM  AND  MEMPHIS. — The  history 
of  the  Rite  of  Misraim,  as  also  that  of  the  Rite  of  Memphis,  which  we 
are  about  to  record,  is  calculated  to  suggest  to  enlightened  Masons  re- 
flections of  sadness  in  more  than  one  connection.  But  it  would  be  im- 
possible for  us  to  pass  by  in  silence  these  works  of  feebleness,  of  error, 
and  of  pride,  inasmuch  as  the  profane  as  well  as  the  initiated  ought  to 
be  informed  of  the  truth. 

If  the  individuals  who  have  created  these  rites  were  but  few,  unhap- 
pily those  who  participated  in  the  result  of  such  aberrations  of  the  hu- 
man mind  may  be  called  a  multitude.  It  is  the  duty,  therefore,  of  the 
historian  to  notice  the  side-tracks  upon  which  these  jugglers  have  at 
times  drawn  our  institution,  in  order  that  their  example  may  teach  us, 
and  preserve  us  from  falling  into  new  errors. 

That  the  Jesuits,  that  powerful  association,  aided  by  a  legion  of 
active  emissaries,  should  have  been  enabled,  in  the  last  century,  to  form 
associations  and  knightly  orders  enveloped  in  Masonic  forms,  with  the 
intention  of  at  first  turning  men  aside  from  the  pure  Masonry  of  Eng 
land,  which  extended  itself  rapidly  upon  the  continent,  and  of  which  th 
object  was  contrary  to  their  desires  and  operations,  and  subsequently  to 
extend  their  dominion,  under  cover  of  Masonry,  to  the  re-establishment 
of  the  Stuarts,  is  nothing  astonishing.  That  some  impostors,  encour- 
aged by  their  success,  should,  in  their  turn,  and  in  a  spirit  of  pecuniary 
gain,  conclude  to  create  rites  and  orders  of  chivalry,  and,  having  found 
12  (177) 


178  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

darride,  Grand  Conservator  of  this  Masonic  heresy,  com- 
mences its  history  in  the  following  manner : 

"Since  the  first  age  of  the  world,  the  period  when  our  venerable 
Order  was  created  by  the  All-Powerful,  no  Grand  Conservator  has 
ever  taken  the  pencil  to  trace  and  reunite  the  perfect  plans  of  his 
scientific  labors,  and  thus  enrich  the  human  race  :  some  for  the 
want  of  the  necessary  documents, l  and  others  from  the  fear  of 
perjuring  themselves  or  of  impairing  in  any  manner  the  sublime 
heritage  which  they  had  been  delegated  to  transmit  to  their  dis- 
ciples in  all  its  purity.  But  if  these  celebrated  Grand  Conserva- 
tors, [names  not  given,]  our  predecessors,  have  not  performed  this 
sacred  duty,  they  have  not  failed  to  leave  to  their  successors  the 
traditions  of  our  mysteries,  in  hieroglyphic  characters,  in  a  man- 
lier intelligible  to  none  but  the  initiated,  and  thus  these  documents 
have  been  preserved  from  all  profane  indiscretions." 

1The  reader  will  easily  comprehend  the  cause  of  this  dearth  of  documents; 
for,  according  to  the  language  of  our  author,  Adam,  installed  by  the  "All- 
Powerful"  as  the  first  Grand  Conservator,  could  not  have  bequeathed  the 
manuscript  transactions  of  his  direction  of  affairs  of  this  "  venerable  Order" 
to  his  descendants,  seeing  that  he  had  not  learned  the  useful  accomplishment 
of  writing,  hieroglyphically  or  otherwise,  and  that  he  had  no  one  to  direct 
in  such  transactions  but  Eve,  his  wife,  and  subsequently  their  children. 
One  thing,  however,  the  author  does  not  explain,  and  the  omission  on  his 
part  leaves  us  with  a  very  feeble  comprehension  of  the  matter;  and  it  is  that 
Adam,  or  the  "All-Powerful,"  baptized  this  order  with  the  name  of  an  Egyp- 
tian king  who,  if  we  take  the  commonly  received  Hebraic  Genesis  for  au- 
thority, was  born  eight  hundred  years  after  Adam  appeared  upon  the  earth! 

in  France — where  a  passion  for  the  chivalry  of  the  middle  ages  favored 
their  projects — a  country  propitious  to  this  species  of  speculation,  did 
create  such  rites  and  orders,  is  not  difficult  to  comprehend.  But  this 
which  appears  inexplicable  is,  that  after  having  recognized  the  illegiti- 
mate source  of  all  these  rites  and  high  degrees,  of  which  the  fabricators 
had  been  unmasked,  hunted,  and  imprisoned  in  Germany;  after  having 
reformed  all  these  rites,  (between  1782  ami  1790,)  and  having  reduced 
the  numerous  scale  to  three,  seven,  ten,  and,  at  most,  twelve  degrees, 
Freemasons  in  the  present  century  should  have  been  the  dupes  of  jug- 
glers of  a  like  category,  and  accept  of  individuals  without  character, 
without  legal  or  any  other  recognized  public  distinction,  new  rites  of 


THE   RITE   OF   MISRAIM.  179 

Commencing  in  this  manner,  the  author,  M.  Bedarride, 
continues  the  history  of  his  "venerable  Order,"  traversing, 
by  forced  marches,  whole  series  of  centuries,  and  stopping 
every  two  or  three  hundred  years  to  indicate  the  existence 
of  some  Grand  Conservators,  without  designating  where, 
how,  or  by  what  means  they  were  initiated.  He  pursues 
this  romance  until  the  beginning  of  the  present  century, 
when  he  begins  to  make  a  little  history ;  but  even  of  this 
his  recital  is  so  much  mutilated  that  he  fails  in  his  search 
to  discover  the  truth,  though  he  attempts  to  ascend  to  the 
sources  of  his  facts. 

We  deem  it  impossible  to  unite  in  one  book  a  greater 

similar  va|ue,  but  much  more  extravagant,  the  one  counting  ninety  and 
the  other  ninety-five  degrees — this  is  utterly  beyond  our  comprehension. 

What  makes  the  matter  more  strange  is,  that  all  enlightened  Masons 
of  the  present  time  know  very  well  that  true  Freemasonry — such  as  is 
practiced  by  every  Grand  Lodge  in  Great  Britain  and  America,  and  such 
as  was  practiced  by  the  first  and  last  National  Grand  Lodges  of  France, 
and  the  operative  lodges  under  their  jurisdiction — is  composed  of  but 
three  degrees.  It  is  true  they  do  not  offer  to  the  initiate,  as  do  the  rites 
of  the  higher  degrees,  gilt-lace  cords  or  brilliant  decorations. — [The  au- 
thor very  suddenly  stops  here  in  his  reflections.  That  he  does  so  be- 
cause he  will  not  believe,  or,  believing,  will  not  say,  that  men  enlight- 
ened and  seriously  earnest  in  the  business  of  elevating  the  condition 
of  the  human  race  by  means  of  Masonry,  can  be  affected  by  these  "gilfc- 
lace  cords  or  brilliant  decorations,"  or  that  he  stops  so  suddenly  to  al- 
low his  readers  the  privilege  of  thus  believing  and  of  finishing  his  ab- 
rupt period  with  such  a  conclusion,  I  can  not  determine.  My  own  opin- 
ion, as  one  of  his  readers,  is  well  known  to  those  for  whom  I  wrote  and 
published  from  1858  to  1861;  and,  though  it  may  be  unacceptable  to 
some  for  whom  I  write  at  present,  I  will  take  the  liberty  of  here  ex- 
pressing it  So  long  as  human  nature  remains  constituted  as  it  is,  glitter 
will  attract  and  decorations  will  incite  men  to  desire  their  possession; 
and  it  is  a  pleasure  taken  in  the  exhibition  of  the  decorations  recognized 
by  these  rites  and  orders,  as  indicative  of  higher  rank  in  confessedly  a  phi- 
losophical institution,  and,  presumably,  a  higher  degree  of  intelligence, 
rather  than  any  actual  advantage  derived  from  the  possession  of  their 
degrees,  that  induces  wise  and  serious  men  to  seek  for  and  obtain 
them. — TRANSLATOR.] 


180  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

mass  of  absurdities  than  its  author  has  collected  and  ex- 
hibited in  his  history  of  this  rite:  and  we  believe  we  will 
render  our  readers  good  service  by  not  fatiguing  them 
with  a  refutation  of  all  the  inaccuracies  with  which  this 
book  is  filled. 

Tt  is  generally  believed  in  the  Masonic  world  that  the 
brothers  Mark  and  Michael  Bedarride,  who  were  the  chiefs 
of  this  rite,  also  were  its  inventors ;  but  it  has  been  re- 
cently discovered  that  they  were  but  its  propagators. 

Commencing  by  stating  that  this  rite  is  composed  of  an 
aggregation  of  monstrous  legends,  stolen  from  all  the  rites, 
including  those  taken  from  the  Scottish,  Martinist,  and 
Hermitic  Kites,  we  will  add  that  after  the  sixty-seventh 
degree,  it  runs  but  upon  wheels  supplied  by  Bible  subjects; 
and  that  so  purely  is  it  Israelitish  in  its  bearings,  that  it 
would  with  more  correctness  be  called  the  "Jewish"  than 
the  "Egyptian  Rite."  "We  also  find  that  this  collection 
of  degrees  is  divided  into  four  series,  in  manner  similar 
with  the  rite  called  Egyptian,  created  by  Joseph  Balsamo, 
surnamed  Cagliostro, l  which  had  been  professed  by  the 
mother  lodge  "  Wisdom  Triumphant,"  founded  by  him  at 
Lyons,  in  1782.  This  Egyptian  Rite2  had  but  an  ephem- 
eral existence ;  and  it  is  probable  enough  that  some  of 
Cagliostro's  rituals  have  served  to  complete  the  deplorable 
work  of  the  Rite  of  Misraim,  whose  author  was  the  brother 
Lechangeur  of  Milan,  as  we  shall  proceed  to  demonstrate. 

A  Grand  Orient  of  Italy  had  been  founded  at  Milan 

1This  extraordinary  man,  born  at  Palermo  in  1743,  acquired  a  celeb- 
rity rarely  attained  by  impostors.  Arrested  at  Rome  on  the  25th  Decem- 
ber, 1789,  he  was  condemned  to  death  by  the  Holy  Office  on  the  21st 
March,  1791 ;  but  Pius  VI  commuted  his  punishment  to  perpetual  im- 
prisonment in  the  castle  of  St.  Angelo,  where  he  died. 

2  Cagliostro,  in  a  voyage  that  he  made  to  London,  bought  a  manu- 
script which  belonged  to  a  man  named  G.  Coston,  in  which  he  found 
the  plan  of  a  Masonry  founded  upon  a  system  which  was  part  magical, 
part  cabalistic,  and  part  superstitious.  From  this  work  he  arranged  the 
plan  of  his  Egyptian  Rita 


THE   RITE    OF   MISRAIM.  181 

shortly  after  the  organization  of  that  at  Naples,  and  the 
prince  Eugene  Beauharnais  had  been  invested  with  the 
dignity  of  Grand  Master.  Some  superior  officers,  resident 
at  Milan,  who  had  been  initiated,  in  Paris,  into  the  high 
degrees  of  the  Scottish  (33d)  Rite,  resolved  to  establish  a 
Supreme  Council  of  that  rite,  at  the  suggestion  of  breth- 
ren, in  Paris.  A  person  named  Lechangeur,  an  officer  or 
master  of  an  operative  lodge  in  Milan,  demanded  to  be- 
come a  party  in  this  arrangement,  and  his  demand  was 
complied  with.  They  conferred  upon  him  certain  degrees; 
but  having  some  motive  for  keeping  him  out  of  the  or- 
ganization of  their  Supreme  Council,  the^  refused  to  give 
him  the  superior  degrees.  Vexed  at  this  refusal,  Lechan- 
geur informed  the  members  of  this  Supreme  Council  that 
he  would  get  the  better  of  them,  in  creating  a  rite  of 
ninety  degrees,  into  which  he  should  not  admit  them. 
He  accomplished  his  threat  in  fact,  and  it  is  to  him  that 
is  to  be  attributed  the  creation  of  this  self-styled  oriental 
rite. 

The  first  thing  Lechangeur  did,  after  having  elaborated 
his  rite,  was  to  elevate  himself  to  the  highest  office  recog- 
nized by  it — in  this  respect  imitating  all  the  other  fabri- 
cators of  rites — that  of  "  Superior  Grand  Conservator  of 
the  Order  of  Misraim,"  and  in  this  capacity  to  deliver 
patents  of  authority  to  all  who  offered  to  propagate  this 
new  rite  to  his  profit.  These  delegates,  being  thus  author- 
ized, were  confined  in  their  operations  to  the  organization 
of  chapters  in  the  cities  of  the  Italian  peninsula,  more 
particularly  to  Naples;  and  those  chapters  should,  in  their 
turn,  create  delegates,  and  deliver  to  them  patents  of  au- 
thority, to  their  profit. 

We  will  now  explain  how  and  by  whom  this  Rite  of 
[israim  was  first  introduced  into  France. 
Bro.  Michael  Bedarride,  a  native  of  Cavaillon,  in  the  de- 
irtment  of  Vaucluse,  and  belonging  to  the  Jewish  re- 
gion, was  initiated  into  Freemasonry  on  the  5th  of  July, 


182  GENERAL   HISTORY  OF   FREEMASONRY. 

1802.  in  the  lodge  "Candor,"  at  Cezena,  in  Italy,  and  affili- 
ated, in  the  year  1805,  with  the  lodge  "Mars  and  Themis," 
in  Paris,  which  conferred  upon  him,  as  it  did  also  upon 
his  brother,  Mark  Bedarride,  the  degree  of  Master. 

Michael  Bedarride,  who  was  a  merchant  in  Naples, 
obtained  the  position  of  commissary  of  subsistence  in  the 
service  of  the  Italian  army,  upon  the  staff  of  which  army 
his  brother  Mark  had  a  position.  During  their  sojourn  in 
Italy,  the  two  brothers  had  affiliated  with  several  lodges  of 
that  country.  On  the  3d  December,  1810,  through  the  in- 
tervention of  one  of  the  patentees  of  Lechangeur,  Michael 
Bedarride  obtained  a  similar  patent,  authorizing  him  to 
confer  the  degrees  of  the  Misraimites  up  to  the  73d  degree. 
Subsequently,  at  Milan,  he  received  of  the  brother  Lechan- 
geur himself  an  increase  of  the  degrees,  and  a  patent, 
dated  25th  June,  1811,  conferring  upon  him  the  degree  of 
"  Grand  Hazsid,"  or  77th  degree,  with  the  right  of  con- 
ferring all  the  degrees  to  that  point.  A  similar  patent  had 
already  been  delivered,  on  the  3d  of  January,  1810,  by 
Lechangeur  to  Mark  Bedarride. 

It  seems  that,  for  some  reason  not  known,  the  brother 
Lechangeur  did  not  wish  the  brothers  Bedarride  to  possess 
the  degree  of  "  Grand  Conservator,"  or  90th  degree,  of  his 
rite;  but,  notwithstanding,  the  possession  of  this  degree 
became  absolutely  necessary,  to  enable  them  to  succeed  in 
their  projects.  With  this  object,  Michael  Bedarride  ad- 
dressed a  delegate  named  Polack,  an  Israelite — resident  at 
Venice — who,  usurping  the  rights  claimed  by  Lechangeur, 
had  proclaimed  himself  Superior  Grand  Conservator,  or 
independent  Grand  Master — and  obtained  of  this  person, 
on  the  1st  September,  1812,  a  patent  conferring  upon  him 
the  title  he  so  greatly  desired.  This  document,  however, 
did  not  appear  to  be  sufficiently  authoritative  for  his  pur- 
pose, as  it  bore  but  one  signature,  and  consequently  lacked 
evidences  of  authenticity ;  for,  immediately  after  the  death 
of  Lechangeur  he  sought  at  the  hands  of  the  brother 


THE   RITE    OF   MISRAIM.  183 

Theodore  Gerber,  of  Milan — to  whom  Lechangeur  had  be- 
queathed the  powers  he  had  given  to  himself — another 
patent.  The  application  was  successful,  and  on  the  12th 
October,  1812,  Michael  Bedarride  procured  this  new  au- 
thority, signed  by  Theodore  Gerber,  and  conferring  upon 
Michael  Bedarride  the  title  of  Superior  Grand  Conservator 
of  the  Order  of  Misraim  in  Italy.  Besides  the  signature 
of  Gerber,  this  document  bore  also  the  signatures  of  Mark 
Bedarride,  who,  as  we  have  shown,  had  not  then  obtained 
but  the  77th  degree,  and  seven  or  eight  other  brethren  who 
were  reputed  to  compose  the  u  Sovereign  Grand  Council 
of  the  90th  degree  of  the  Grand  Masters  absolute;"  and 
it  is  by  virtue  of  the  powers  that  they  having  arrogated 
to  themselves,  in  concert  with  the  chief  of  this  rite,  that 
they  delegated  to  Michael  Bedarride  the  same  powers  and 
all  their  supreme  rights  as  therein  expressed  by  this  pat- 
ent, to  "  create,  form,  regulate,  dissolve,  whenever  desirable, 
lodges,  chapters,  colleges,  directories,  synods,  tribunals, 
consistories,  councils,  and  general  councils  of  the  Oeder  of 
Misraim" — a  prerogative  that  this  brother,  as  therein  ex- 
pressed, has  merited  "  by  the  most  profound  study  of  the 
sciences,  and  the  most  sublime  practice  of  every  virtue  that  is 
known  to  but  a  very  small  number  of  the  elect — inviting  all 
brethren,  of  every  degree  and  every  rite,  to  assist  the 
puissant  and  venerable  Grand  Conservator,  Michael  Bedar- 
ride, with  their  council,  their  credit  and  their  fortune,  him 
and  the  rejected  of  his  race,"  etc.,  etc. 

It  is  by  virtue  of  this  curious  document,  which  we  con- 
eider  it  unnecessary  further  to  explain,  that  the  brother 
Michael  Bedarride,  through  the  organ  of  his  brother  Mark 
Bedarride,  announced  himself,  in  Paris,  chief  of  this  self- 
rityled  Oriental,  Ancient,  and  Sublime  Order,  which,  he 
says,  is  the  stem  of  all  the  Masonic  rites  in  existence,  al- 
though he  must  have  suspected  by  whom  it  had  been  fab- 
ricated. The  text  of  this  proclamation  affords  some  idea 
of  the  arrogance  of  these  Jewish  Masons,  and  recalls  to 


184  GENERAL    HISTORY  OF   FREEMASONRY. 

our  mind  the  five  Masons,  also  Jews,  who,  at  Charleston, 
fabricated  the  Scottish  Rite  of  thirty-three  degrees;  and 
had  it  not  been  for  the  success  of  which  the  Rite  of  Mis- 
raim  never  would  have  seen  the  light,  and  but  for  which 
the  obstacles  to  the  unity  of  Freemasonry  in  France,  as 
well  as  in  other  countries,  would  have  been  easily  re- 
moved. 

When  the  brother  Mark  Bedarride,  then  a  retired  officer 
of  the  army  of  Italy,  arrived  in  Paris  in  1813,  where  he 
was  joined  shortly  afterward  by  his  brothers  Michael  and 
Joseph  Bedarride,  the  latter  of  whom  had  also,  at  Naples, 
received  some  patents  from  a  delegate  patented  by  Le- 
changeur,  these  three  brothers  found  four  others — two  of 
whom  were  named  respectively  Joly  and  Gaborea — who 
had  likewise  procured  in  Italy  some  patents  which  con- 
ferred upon  them  also  the  right  of  creating  lodges,  coun- 
cils, etc.,  up  to  the  ninetieth  degree ;  while  the  other 
two,  named  respectively  Garcia  and  Decollet,  bore  patents 
giving,  them  authority  to  the  seventy-seventh  degree.  As 
the  brothers  Bedarride  had  decided  to  fix  their  residence 
in  Paris  for  the  purpose  of  working  up  this  new  branch 
of  Masonry,  the  competitors  whom  we  have  named  incom- 
moded them  in  the  execution  of  their  project.  Having 
arranged  matters  with  them,  they  next  proceeded  to  ob- 
tain the  protection  of  the  brother  Count  Muraire.  Suc- 
ceeding in  this  as  in  the  other,  Michael  Bedarride  was 
not  long  in  gaining  the  consent  of  several  other  brethren, 
nearly  all  of  whom  were  members  of  the  Supreme  Coun- 
cil of  the  Scottish  (33d)  Rite,  among  whom  we  may  name 
Count  Lallemand,  Thory,  Colonel  Martin,  Count  Chabran, 
General  Monier,  Barbier  de  Finant,  the  Chevalier  Chalon 
de  Collet,  Yidal,  Perron,  General  Teste,  etc.,  to  receive 
the  highest  degrees  of  the  rite,  in  order  to  enable  him  to 
organize  a  Supreme  Council  of  the  ninetieth  degree,  nec- 
essary for  the  definite  establishment  of  the  Supreme  Power 
of  the  Order  for  France.  On  the  9th  of  April,  1815,  the 


THB   RITE   OP   MISRAIM.  185 

brothers  Bedarride,  taking  the  title  of  Grand  Conservators 
of  the  Order,  issued  their  circular,  by  which  they  declared 
"the  supreme  power  constituted  in  the  valley  of  Paris  to 
govern  the  Masonic  Order  of  Misraim  upon  all  the  globe" — 
and,  the  reader  will  carefully  observe — "  for  France  by  the 
Supreme  Council  of  Most  Wise  Grand  Masters  for  life  of 
the  90th  and  last  degree."  It  will  be  observed,  in  pass- 
ing, that  all  the  decisions  of  this  council  could  be  revoked 
by  the  Superior  Grand  Conservator  of  the  Order,  con- 
formably to  the  constitution  that  he  had  given,  in  his  ca- 
pacity of  autocrat,  to  the  future  Misraimite  people. 

To  make  acceptable  a  rite  with  a  scale  of  degrees  so 
numerous,  and  of  which  the  chiefs  had  given  themselves 
titles  so  pompous,  certainly  no  city  of  the  world  afforded 
better  facilities  than  Paris,  the  center  of  all  folly  and 
extravagance,  as  well  as  of  much  that  was  really  great. 

We  will  here  observe  that  the  ninety  degrees  composing 
the  Rite  of  Misraim  should  have  comprised  every  known 
science,  divided  into  four  series,  forming  seventeen  classes. 
The  first  series  was  called  symbolic,  the  second  philosophic, 
the  third  mystic,  and  the  fourth  cabalistic.  After  this  clas- 
sification, the  neophytes,  upon  their  initiation  into  the  dif- 
ferent degrees,  should  have  received  instruction  embracing 
all  that  was  known  of  the  sciences  involved  in  each  series. 
Such  a  course  of  instruction  would,  if  faithfully  given, 
have  been  frightful  to  any  earnest  mind,  so  imposing 
a  task  being  so  much  beyond  the  grasp  of  an  ordinary 
human  life.  But,  in  reality,  the  neophyte  had  nothing 
to  fear  from  this  vast  vocabulary ;  it  was  merely  a  recital 
of  fables  more  or  less  absurd,  and  embraced  not  a  word  of 
science  or  philosophy  outside  of  what  truths  were  implied 
in  the  first  symbolic  degrees.  How  could  it  be  otherwise? 
The  brothers  Bedarride,  no  more  than  the  creator  of  the 
rite,  Lechangeur — not  possessing  even  the  most  elementary 
notions  of  the  sciences  enumerated  in  their  four  series  and 


186  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

seventeen  classes  of  degrees — could  not,  in  consequence, 
teach  to  others  what  they  did  not  know  themselves. 

After  taking  possession  of  this  prospectively  lucrative 
field  of  labor,  the  brothers  Bedarride  found  the  great- 
est difficulty  in  organizing  a  working  lodge ;  for  France 
was  then  in  mourning.  However,  with  great  labor,  they 
succeeded  in  establishing  a  first  lodge,  the  "Rainbow," 
which  became  the  mother  lodge  of  the  rite  ;  but  it  did  not 
enter  upon  active  duty  until  the  month  of  June,  1816. 

Then  the  proselytes  quickly  augmented.  The  brethren 
Baucalin  de  Laroste,  the  chevalier  Larrey,  Auzon,  Ragon, 
Clavet-Gaubert,  Redarets,  Chasseriau,  and  Beaurepaire  be- 
came Misraimites,  and  immediately  constituted  themselves 
into  a  new  lodge,  of  which  the  meetings  were  most  brill- 
iant, under  the  name  of  "Disciples  of  Zoroaster."  In  this 
assembly  the  brother  Dr.  Ganal,  who  presided,  and  who 
understood,  much  better  than  the  brothers  Bedarride,  the 
exigencies  of  the  rite,  called  to  his  aid  physic  and  chem- 
istry to  render  his  initiations  imposing,  and  thus  succeeded 
in  gathering  in  many  new  members. 

When  they  arrived  in  Paris,  the  brothers  Bedarride  had 
only  some  incomplete  rituals  which  they  had  copied  from 
those  in  the  possession  of  the  persons  who  gave  them  the 
degrees,  and  not  one  of  the  ninety  lectures  which  the  rite 
required  to  explain  its  degrees ;  for  neither  Lechangeur 
nor  Gerber  possessed  them.  To  produce  these,  the  breth- 
ren Mealet  and  Joly,  erudite  and  capable  men,  drew  upon 
their  imaginations.  So  slowly,  however,  did  these  lectures 
appear,  that  in  1816  they  were  enabled  to  exhibit  but  ten, 
having  borrowed  from  the  lodge  "Hope,"  at  Berne,  the 
lectures  of  the  first  three  degrees,  and  these  alone  express- 
ing all  of  a  Masonic  spirit  which  the  rite  exhibited ;  and 
thus,  like  the  Grand  Orient  and  the  Supreme  Council, 
they  jumped,  in  their  initiations,  from  the  third  to  the 
eighteenth,  and  from  the  eighteenth  to  the  thirtieth,  or 
twelve  degrees  at  a  time.  The  brothers  Bedarride  were 


THE   BITE   OF   MISRAIM.  187 

obliged,  for  the  reasons  that  wo  have  indicated,  to  confer  a 
series  of  degrees  at  a  time,  giving  it  as  their  reason  that 
such  a  course  was  most  convenient,  and  explaining  the  in- 
termediate degrees  as  best  they  could. 

From  the  beginning,  grave  abuses  appeared  in  the  ad- 
ministration as  conducted  by  the  brothers  Bedarride.  The 
members  of  the  rite,  tired  with  submitting  to  the  caprices 
of  the  three  Israelitish  chiefs,  demanded  a  code  of  laws. 
They  openly  accused  the  Grand  Conservators  of  making  a 
scandalous  traffic  in  communicating  the  degrees,  and,  in 
fact,  of  speculating  with  the  rite  as  a  manufacturing  prop- 
erty, and  seeking  to  retire  the  principal  part  of  the  profits 
to  their  own  use,  though  they  had  shown  a  laudable  desire 
to  hide  such  a  diversion  of  the  funds.  Then  a  certain 
number  of  brethren  resolved  to  create  a  new  power, 
founded  upon  the  plenary  powers  which  the  brother  Joly 
had  received  at  Milan,  and,  with  a  number  of  the  dissatis- 
fied, they  did  form  a  Supreme  Council  of  ninety  degrees, 
composed  of  the  said  Joly,  an  author,  the  brethren  Auzon, 
private  secretary  to  His  Majesty  King  Charles  IY,  Gabo- 
rea,  a  clerk  in  the  Bureau  of  Finance,  Mealet,  Secretary 
of  the  Academy  of  Sciences,  Eagon,  chief  of  the  Staff  Bu- 
reau of  the  National  Guard,  Richard,  Lange,  Decollet, 
Am  adieu,  Pigniere,  and  Clavet-Gaubert,  colonel  of  artillery. 

In  September,  1816,  this  new  organization  requested 
permission  to  rank  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Grand 
Orient,  and,  to  allow  them  to  do  so,  proposed  to  abandon 
the  administration  of  the  first  two  series  of  the  rite,  com- 
prising sixty-six  degrees,  and  reserve  to  themselves  but 
the  power  to  control  those  from  sixty-seven  to  ninety. 
Some  commissioners  were  named  on  the  part  of  each  body 
to  arrange  the  particulars ;  but  the  Grand  Orient,  though 
at  first  very  well  disposed  to  conclude  the  arrangement, 
after  a  more  mature  examination  of  it,  rejected  the  propo- 
sition on  the  14th  January,  1817,  and,  on  the  27th  of  the 
following  December,  addressed  to  the  lodges  of  its  corre- 


188  GENERAL  HISTORY  OP  FREEMASONRY. 

spondence  a  circular,  by  the  terms  of  which  it  prohibited 
them  from  receiving  the  members  of  the  Rite  of  Misraim 
in  their  assemblies. 

Unlike  the  generality  of  such  documents  as  issued  by 
the  Grand  Orient,  the  motives  expressed  in  this  edict  were 
logical.  It  stated  that  "the  patentees  had  not  furnished 
the  titles  required  to  authenticate  the  origin  and  the  au- 
thenticity of  the  Rite  of  Misraim;  that  the  assertion  of  its 
introduction  into  Italy,  under  the  pontificate  of  Leo  X,  in 
the  sixteenth  century,  by  Jamblicus,  a  platonic  philosopher 
who  lived  in  the  fourth  century,  eleven  hundred  years  be- 
fore Leo  X,  was  destructive  in  the  nature  of  dates;  that 
this  rite  was  never  practiced  at  Alexandria  nor  at  Cairo,  as 
it  pretended  to  be,  etc.,  etc. ;  that  for  these  reasons  this  rite 
could  not  be  admitted  into  the  Grand  Orient." l  The  Grand 
Orient  having  thus  brought  to  public  notice  the  irregular- 
ity of  the  powers  claimed  by  the  brothers  Bedarride,  the 
latter  sought,  as  much  as  it  was  possible,  to  destroy  the 
doubts  thus  engendered.  Michael  Bedarride  had,  on  the 
3d  May,  1816,  exhibited  a  document,  signed  by  seven  breth- 
ren, which  detailed  all  the  Masonic  titles  he  had  obtained; 
that  is,  the  dates  of  his  receipt  of  them  in  Italy ;  but  this 
document,  though  in  it  he  was  named  "Superior  Grand 
Conservator,"  gave  him  no  legal  power;  and  to  meet  this 
contingency  it  was  necessary  to  produce  another  document. 
This  latter  soon  appeared,  signed  by  thirteen  brethren  of 
the  rite,  and  among  them  the  Count  De  Grasse-Tilly, 
founder  of  the  Supreme  Council  of  the  Scottish  (33d)  Rite 
at  Paris,  the  Count  Muraire,  the  Count  Lallemand,  the 
Duke  of  St.  Aignan,  the  Chevalier  Lacoste,  etc.  These 
brethren  in  this  patent  styled  themselves  "Sovereign  Grand 
Masters  absolute  of  the  Rite  of  Misraim,"  a  title  which 
had  been  conferred  by  Michael  Bedarride,  after  he  had  or- 

*It  is  to  be  regretted  that  similar  cogent  reasons  did  not  exclude,  in 
1862,  the  Rite  of  Memphis  from  admission  into  that  body. 


THE   RITE    OP   MISRAIM.  189 

ganized  his  Grand  Council  of  ninety  degrees;  and  it  was 
by  virtue  of  the  powers  which  this  title  conferred,  and 
with  which  they  had  been  invested  by  Michael  Bedarride, 
that  they,  in  their  turn,  by  means  of  this  patent,  bestowed 
upon  him  the  title  and  powers  of  Supreme  Grand  Con- 
servator of  the  Order  for  France. 

The  new  patent  which  we  have  just  mentioned  waa 
dated  the  7th  of  September,  1817 ;  but,  unlike  the  other,  it 
bore  no  mark  of  having  been  produced  at  Milan,  and  this 
fact  somewhat  invalidated  its  use  at  Paris;  nevertheless, 
as  the  brothers  Bedarride  had  the  whole  world  to  operate 
in,  this  circumstance  merely  induced  them  to  change 
slightly  the  field  of  their  operations.  In  1818,  Joseph 
turned  up  at  Brussels,  and  Michael  in  Holland.  It  would 
appear,  however,  that  the  means  which  they  employed 
were  not  the  most  laudable;  for,  upon  the  18th  of  Novem- 
ber, 1818,  the  Prince  Frederick,  Grand  Master  of  the 
Netherland  lodges,  addressed  a  circular  to  all  the  lodges 
of  that  country,  pointing  out  the  brothers  Bedarride,  who 
by  that  time  were  running  about  the  kingdom,  as  dishon- 
orable men,  who,  to  attain  their  objects,  had  recourse  to 
very  reprehensible  tricks  and  means  unworthy  of  true  Ma- 
sons, and  which  had  already  brought  them  into  discredit 
at  Paris.  This  circular  wound  up  its  charges  with  inter- 
dicting the  exercise  of  the  Rite  of  Misraim  in  all  the 
lodges  under  his  authority,  and  supported  this  interdiction 
with  the  reasons  advanced  by  the  Grand  Orient  of  France 
on  the  29th  December,  1817,  and  which  we  have  men- 
tioned. 

Notwithstanding  these  prohibitions ;  notwithstanding  all 
the  difficulties  which  opposed  them,  the  brothers  Bedar- 
ride succeeded  in  establishing  in  Paris,  besides  the  lodges 
"  Rainbow"  and  "  The  Disciples  of  Zoroaster,"  four  other 
lodges,  namely,  "  The  Twelve  Tribes,"  "The  Disciples  of 
Misraim,"  "The  Burning  Bush,"  and  "The  Children  of 
Apollo,"  all  of  which  were  in  active  operation  toward  the 


190  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

close  of  the  year  1818.  This  increase  of  lodges  permitted 
them  to  give,  on  the  19th  January,  1819,  a  brilliant  feast 
of  Adoption,  which  was  presided  over  by  the  Count  Mu- 
raire  and  the  Countess  of  Fouchecourt.  Notwithstanding 
their  seeming  success,  the  brothers  Bedarride  were  con- 
stantly at  war  with  their  own  lodges,  which  complained  of 
their  administration  and  demanded  an  account  of  the 
funds.  The  brothers  responded  to  these  demands  by  ex- 
pelling the  most  clamorous  of  the  claimants.  It  was  thus 
that,  by  the  decision  of  a  self-styled  Council,  which  the 
brothers  Bedarride  directed  as  they  wished,  bearing  date 
the  15th  August,  the  brethren  Marie,  Richard,  Chasseriau, 
Beaurepaire,  Ragon,  Mealet,  and  Joly  were  expelled  from 
the  rite.  But  this  despotism  but  increased  the  indigna- 
tion. The  lodge  "Disciples  of  Zoroaster"  separated  itself 
from  the  Rite  of  Misraini  by  a  unanimous  decision,  dated 
the  30th  of  April,  1819. 

In  the  minutes  of  this  occasion,  and  which  this  lodge 
published  at  the  time,  the  motive  for  separation  is  thus  ex- 
pressed : 

1. — They  had  vainly  called  for  the  correction  of  many 
articles,  contained  in  the  general  regulations,  in  conse- 
quence of  their  despotic  and  unsatisfactory  character ;  and, 

2. — The  suppression  of  the  word  "  absolute"  in  connec- 
tion with  the  title  of  "  Sovereign  Grand  Master ;"  as,  "  in 
the  present  century,  such  a  distinction  is  a  usurpation  and 
an  offense  to  free  men." 

3. — In  nearly  all  of  the  general  regulations  the  Grand 
Conservator  has  arrogated  to  himself  powers  as  obscure  as 
they  are  arbitrary. 

4. — And,  finally,  according  to  a  judgment  of  the  tribunal 
of  commerce  of  the  Seine,  the  firm  of  Joseph  Bedariide  & 
Co.,  (the  brothers  Mark  and  Michael  were  the  associates 
not  named,)  living  in  Moon  street,  at  No.  37,  was  in  a  con- 
dition of  open  bankruptcy. 

This  proceeding  was  signed  by  the  Worshipful  Master 


THE    RITE    OF   MISRAIM.  191 

and  by  all  the  officers  of  the  lodge,  to  the  number  of 
twenty.  The  supreme  power  confined  itself  to  striking 
the  AVorshipful  Master,  and,  by  an  edict  dated  llth  June, 
1819,  Dr.  Ganal  was  expelled. 

The  mother  lodge  "  Rainbow"  also  revolted  against  the 
administration  of  the  Grand  Conservators,  which  its  mem- 
bers unanimously  declared  to  be  most  deplorable,  and 
brought  this  declaration  before  the  chiefs  of  the  Order,  in 
the  hope  that  they  would  require  the  brothers  Bedarride 
to  render  an  account  of  the  receipts  and  expenses. 

In  the  position  in  which  they  found  themselves,  the 
brothers  Bedarride  could  not  satisfy  the  demands  which 
were  addressed  to  them  in  connection  with  the  finances, 
because  the  revenues  of  all  kinds  which  they  received 
through  their  connection  with  the  rite  were  necessary 
to  pay  their  debts  and  support  their  personal  expenses. 
They,  in  consequence,  made  use  of  their  omnipotence  to 
declare  all  the  members  of  the  lodge  "  Rainbow,"  who  had 
taken  part  in  the  revolt  against  them,  as  disturbers  of  the 
peace  of  the  Order ;  and  this  done,  they  dissolved  the  lodge 
for  the  purpose  of  reconstructing  it  with  more  non-dissent- 
ing materials,  and  its  president,  the  Count  Lallemand, 
sharing  the  fortunes  of  the  opposing  members,  by  an  edict 
of  the  Grand  Council,  of  7th  July,  1810,  was  expelled. 

It  is  necessary  and  proper  here  to  state  that  the  brothers 
Bedarride  •  based  their  refusal  to  render  an  account  of  the 
revenues  of  the  rite  upon  the  statement  that  they  had 
withdrawn  but  sufficient  to  cover  the  interest  of  the  capi- 
tal which  they  pretended  to  have  spent  in  organizing  the 
rite  in  Paris, l  together  with  what  they  were  properly  en- 
titled to  for  conducting  the  affairs  of  the  Order. 

1To  support  this  statement  the  brethren  exhibited  an  account,  which 
was  dated  the  llth  June,  1818,  for  the  sum  of  $550,  incurred  by  them 
for  engravings,  cyphers,  diplomas,  etc.,  and  indorsed  as  correct  by — 
among  other  members  of  the  General^Council  of  the  ninetieth  degn 
the  Count  Muraire. 


192  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

The  lodges  founded,  in  1818,  in  the  Low  Countries  hav- 
ing enjoyed  but  an  ephemeral  existence,  the  brothers 
Michael  and  Joseph  Bedarride  again  withdrew  from  Paris, 
in  1820,  to  propagate  their  rite.  They  first  appeared  in 
England,  from  whence  Michael  went  to  the  Low  Countries 
and  Joseph  to  Switzerland,  In  1821  and  1822  they  made 
other  voyages  into  the  departments  of  France,  and  about 
the  close  of  the  latter  year  they  had  organized  twelve 
lodges,  with  several  councils,  all  of  which,  like  the  former, 
lived  but  a  short  time.1 

The  progress  made  by  the  brothers  Bedarride  in  the 
propagation  of  their  rite,  although  slow,  nevertheless  dis- 
quieted the  Grand  Orient,  and  that  authority  labored  to 
interrupt  it.  The  circular  edict  already  mentioned,  with 
another,  dated  the  21st  December,  1821,  not  having  ar- 
rested, either  in  Paris  or  in  the  provinces,  the  creation  of 
Misraimite  lodges,  the  Grand  Orient  continued  to  pro- 
nounce severely  against  the  brethren  who  had  embraced 
their  cause.  Thus,  at  the  solstitial  feast,  celebrated  the 
24th  June,  1822,  the  brother  Richard,  orator  of  the  Grand 
Orient — who,  in  1817,  had  been  advanced  to  the  highest 
degrees  of  the  Rite  of  Misraim,  and  consequently  had  taken 
a  solemn  oath,2  written  by  his  own  hand,  of  the  most  abso- 
lute fidelity  to  that  Order,  but  who  subsequently  had  been 
stricken  from  the  list  of  members — made  a  long  report 
against  the  system  of  the  brothers  Bedarride,'  etc.,  and 
concluded  by  urging  the  Grand  Orient  to  close  the  meet- 
ings of  the  Misraimites,  as  irregular,  illicit,  and  dangerous, 
and  to  renew  its  edict  of  interdiction,  enforcing  compliance 

lrrhe  author  here  gives  the  names  and  locations  of  these  lodges,  etc.; 
but  as  they  are  all  extinct,  we  believe  our  readers  will  not  miss  their 
omission. — TRANSLATOR. 

8 The  author  here  gives  a  transcript  of  this  oath  ;  but  as  the  transla- 
tion of  this  transcript  would  be  offensive  to  members  of  the  rite  in 
America,  and  in  nowise  beneficial  to  those  who  are  not,  I  respectfully 
suppress  it. — TRANSLATOR. 


THE   RITE    OF    MISRAIM. 


193 


with  the  same,  under  most  severe  penalties.  ±n  this  report 
we  find,  among  others  equally  severe,  the  following  pas- 
sage : 

it  *  *  *  But  toleration  has  a  limit,  the  Grand  Orient  has 
duties  to  perform,  and  longer  silence  to  the  call  of  such  duties 
would  render  this  legislative  body  amenable  to  the  charge  of  com- 
plicity in  the  disorders  which  have  distinguished  the  administra- 
tors of  the  Rite  of  Misraim.  These  men,  who,  investing  them- 
selves with  functions  which  they  hold  to  be  the  most  important  of  an 
Order  that  they  proclaim  superior  to  all  Masonic  rites,  forgetful  of 
their  dignity,  run  over  the  departments  of  this  kingdom,  armed 
with  their  ninety  degrees,  which  they  offer  to  all  purchasers  at  any 
price  and  in  the  most  public  places,  and  thus,  by  their  mysteri- 
ous forms,  compromise  the  state,  as  also  the  security,  honor,  and 
even  peace  of  our  citizens,  trouble  the  repose  of  the  magistrates, 
awaken  the  attention  of  the  authorities  intrusted  with  the  secu- 
rity of  the  state,  and,  above  all,  provoke  such  suspicions  of  their 
designs  as  cause  them,  in  their  travels  from  city  to  city,  to  be 
sometimes  imprisoned  :  these  are  excesses  committed  by  men  call- 
ing themselves  Masons,  for  which,  it  is  true,  they  can  not  be  im- 
peached, but  for  which  they  should  be  held  up  to  the  indignation 
of  every  worthy  brother,"  etc.,  etc. 

We  believe  that  this  report  exaggerated  facts  in  some 
of  its  particulars. 

The  report  of  this  feast,  including  the  protest  of  Brother 
Richard,  was  sent  to  all  the  lodges  and  even  to  the  public 
authorities.  The  latter,  desirous  of  assuring  themselves  of 
the  truth  or  falsehood  of  these  accusations  of  the  Grand 
Orient,  ordered  the  police  to  investigate  the  subject;  and 
the  latter,  for  this  purpose,  made  a  descent  upon  the  dwell 
ing  of  the  brother  Mark  Bedarride,  on  the  7th  September, 
1822;  but  a  minute  examination  thereof  elicited  no  charge, 
except  a  slight  one  underlhe  terms  of  the  penal  code  bear- 
ing upon  persons  assembling  themselves  together  for  secret 
purposes.  For  this  the  brother  Bedarride  and  some  others 
13 


194         GENERAL  HISTORY  OF  FREEMASONRY. 

held  themselves  to  answer  on  the  18th  January,  1823,  and 
submitted  to  some  small  fine.  The  result,  however,  of  the 
general  dissemination  among  the  lodges  of  the  report  of 
the  feast,  was  to  induce  the  authorities  to  close  the  lodges 
of  the  rite  in  Paris  and  those  in  the  provinces,  to  the  num- 
ber, in  all,  of  seventeen ;  and  they  remained  in  this  condi- 
tion until  1831. 

During  this  long  period  the  brother  Mark  Bedarride  re- 
mained unemployed.  After  the  revolution  of  1830,  he 
sought  for  restoration  to  the  military  rank  he  had  in  1814; 
but  he  failed  in  this  object.  From  the  Minister  of  the 
Interior,  however,  he  obtained  permission  to  reopen  the 
lodges  of  his  rite. 

From  that  auspicious  moment  the  two  brothers  Mark 
and  Michael  Bedarride  made  strenuous  efforts  to  avail 
themselves  of  the  advantages  of  this  permission.  Their 
first  act  was  to  inform  the  partisans  of  the  rite  of  the 
happy  circumstances  which  once  more  allowed  the  lodges 
to  resume  their  labors,  and  to  demand  that  all  the  repre- 
sentatives of  the  rite  assemble  the  divers  classes  of  the 
Order,  and  forward  a  list  of  their  members,  accompanied 
by  a  gift  of  thirty  cents  for  each  brother,  as  a  voluntary 
offering  of  dues  for  the  years  in  arrear,  or  those  during 
which  the  lodges  had  been  closed. 

The  primary  meetings  of  the  old  lodges  took  place  at 
No.  41  St.  Mary  street,  and  the  brothers  Bedarride  suc- 
ceeded in  reconstructing,  under  their  original  names,  the 
lodges  "  Rainbow,"  "  Pyramids,"  and  "  Burning  Bush." 
This  reconstruction  accomplished,  the  chiefs  judged  it  nec- 
essary to  prevent  the  attacks  to  which  their  administration 
had  been  subjected,  and,  for  this  purpose,  convoking  the 
•brethren  composing  the  General  Council,  they  directed 


THE   RITE    OF   MISRAIM.  195 

the  recognition  in  their  own  favor  of  an  account  for 
services,  etc.,  amounting  to  $20,550. l 

Thus  the  account,  which  in  1818  was  but  $550,  had  been 
increased  to  $20,550,  as  well  by  the  interest  which  had  ac- 
crued upon  the  original  sum  as  by  the  additional  grants 
claimed,  to  the  extent  of  $12,000,  for  administration  of  the 
affairs  of  an  Order  while  its  lodges  were  closed  and  its  busi- 
ness totally  suspended.  As  a  set-off  to  this  demand,  the 
sums  received  by  the  brothers  Bedarride  for  fees  and  diplo- 
mas from  1816  to  1822,  while  the  lodges  were  in  operation, 
ought  to  have  amounted  to  a  very  handsome  figure,  and 
they  did,  as  they  appeared  in  the  cash-book  of  the  brothers; 
but  the  whole  of  this  amount  was  absorbed,  as  further  ap- 
peared by  the  same,  in  defraying  the  rent  of  lodge-rooms, 
etc.,  and  all  other  necessary  running  expenses,  for  nineteen 
years. 

To  put  an  end  to  all  further  disputes  upon  the  sub- 
ject, the  chiefs  of  the  rite  prepared  an  oath  to  be  admin- 
istered, sine  qua  non,  to  the  receipt  of  the  higher  degrees, 
by  which  every  member  taking  such  degrees  obligated 
himself  in  language  very  enigmatical,  but  the  real  mean- 
ing of  which  was  to  never  question  in  any  manner,  under 
penalty  of  being  blotted  from  the  list  of  honorable  menx- 

1  This  sum  of  $20,550  was  made  up  in  the  following  manner: 

1.  Amount,  of  the  obligation  of  llth  June,  1818 2,735  fr.  37 

17  years'  interest  at  5  per  cent,  per  annum 2,324  fr.  93 — 5,060  fr.  30 

2.  Claim  of  2,500  fr.  per  annum  from  the  25th 

May,  1816,  to  25th  May,  1822—6  years 15,000    00 

6  years' interest  at  5  per  cent,  per  annum 4,600    00 — 19,500    00 

3.  Claim  of  3,500  fr.  per  annum,  from  the  27th 

May,  1822,  to  27th  May,  1828—7  years 24,500    00 

7  years'  interest  at  5  per  cent,  per  annum 6,475    00 — 30,975    00 

4.  Claim  of  5,000  fr.  per  annum,  from  the  27th 

May,  1828,  to  the  27th  May,  1835—7  years....-     85,000    00 

7  years'  interest  at  5  per  cent,  per  annum 12,250    00 — 47,250    00 


Total 102,785  fr.  30 


196  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

bership,  the  accuracy  of  this  account  or  the  justness  of  its 
claims.1 

When  this  matter  was  thus  arranged,  the  Council  made 
it  conditional  that  the  brothers  Bedarride  should  render 
true  accounts  from  that  time  of  all  their  receipts  and  ex- 
penses, to  the  end  that  the  excess  of  the  former  should  be 
appropriated  to  the  reduction  of  their  account  against  the 
Order  of  Misraim,  and  the  same  be  liquidated  at  as  early  a 
day  as  possible. 

It  is  a  sacred  principle  in  Freemasonry  that,  with  the 
exception  of  the  office  of  Secretary  of  a  lodge,  or  Grand 
Secretary  of  a  Grand  Lodge,  all  other  offices  are  filled  gra- 
tuitously and  for  the  honor  they  confer  upon  the  incum- 
bent. This  being  a  fact  well  known,  it  is  not  difficult  to 
decide,  from  what  we  have  shown,  that  the  charges  made 
against  the  brothers  Bedarride,  of  speculating  writh  their 
rite,  were  not  devoid  of  foundation. 

Notwithstanding  the  activity  of  the  brothers  Bedarride, 
their  rite  has  made  but  little  progress  since  that  time.  It 
has  but  a  sort  of  vegetating  existence  in  Paris,  and  it  is 
extinct  every-where  else  in  which  they  succeeded  in  plant- 
ing it.  A  great  many  eminent  men,  whose  names  figure 
upon  the  list  of  membership,  have  long  since  withdrawn 
from  it,  and  others  have  died.  They  never  did,  in  fact, 
take  any  active  part  in  the  labors  of  the  rite,  and  the  ma- 
jority of  them  had  not  even  assisted  at  a  single  meeting 
of  Misraimites  :  they  had  accepted  the  high  degrees  offered 
them  simply  because  their  pompous  titles  tickled  their 
vanity.  The  brothers  Bedarride  had  never  expected  to 
derive  any  advantage  from  conferring  their  degrees  upon 
such  men,  except  that  which  their  names  would  afford  in 
the  propagation  of  their  rite  among  strangers.  When  we 
look  over  the  list  of  membership,  published  in  1822,  we  are 


author  gives  the  text  of  this  oath;  but,  for  the  reason  already 
given,  I  do  not  translate  it.  —  TRANSLATOR. 


THE   RITE   OF   MISRAIM.  197 

astonished  to  find  thereon  so  great  a  number  of  distin- 
guished persons,  and  occupying  the  highest  social  positions. 
Such  of  these  brethren  as  belonged  to  the  Supreme  Coun- 
cil or  the  Grand  Orient  of  France  never  allowed  them- 
selves to  be  initiated  into  the  fearful  catalogue  of  the  Rite 
of  Misraim ;  they  confined  themselves  simply  to  the  ac- 
ceptance of  a  diploma  conferring  upon  them  the  rank  of 
the  ninetieth  degree. 

Many  of  these  brethren,  if  not  all,  resigned  their  posi- 
tion between  1817  and  1822,  when  the  chiefs  of  the  rite 
were  attacked  on  all  sides.  After  the  revival  of  the  rite 
in  1832 — thanks  to  the  political  changes  which  the  revolu- 
tion of  1830  effected  in  France — its  chiefs  were  unable  to 
enroll  the  names  of  important  men,  such  as  figured  upon 
their  register  of  1822  ;  even  the  meetings  of  the  latter  pe- 
riod were  few  and  insignificant.  To  remedy  this  failure, 
the  brothers  Bedarride  resolved  to  hold  a  Grand  Lodge  of 
Adoption,  which  took  place  on  the  25th  August,  1838. 
The  following  passage  of  the  discourse,  addressed  to  the 
sisters  and  brethren  present,  will  give  our  readers  some 
idea  of  the  arrogance  of  the  language  of  their  claims: 
"The  Masonic  Order  of  Misraim  has  this  advantage  over 
all  other  rites :  it  furnishes  to  the  initiate  scientific  com- 
pensations which  afford  him  an  abstract  knowledge  of  our 
Order."  So  far  is  this  from  the  truth,  that,  it  is  believed, 
the  meetings  of  the  Misraim ites  are  more  devoid  of  any 
thing  pertaining  to  science  or  philosophy  than  are  those 
of  any  other  rite.  Notwithstanding  all  the  pomp,  magnifi- 
cence, and  expense  attending  this  exhibition  of  a  "  Grand 
Lodge  of  Adoption,"  it  had  not  the  least  effect  in  forward- 
ing the  fortunes  of  the  Order. 

If  any  questions  \vere  put  to  the  brothers  Bedarride 
upon  the  condition  of  the  funds,  they  would  reply  that  the 
supreme  authority  had  no  accounts  to  render  to  any  per- 
son. If  changes  were  desired  in  the  general  regulations, 
they  replied  that  the  regulations  were  unalterable,  and  all 


198  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

the  members  had  solemnly  sworn  to  be  governed  by  them. 
Should  a  brother  publicly  attempt  to  decipher  the  riddle 
which  veiled  their  power,  the  chiefs  would  cry  out  that 
their  authority  was  being  questioned,  and  threaten  the  of- 
fender with  arrest  and  trial.  In  1839,  the  brother  Terne- 
sien  Leserne,  advocate  at  the  court  of  the  king,  having 
made  some  remarks  in  his  lodge — the  "Rainbow" — upon 
the  administration  of  the  chiefs  of  the  rite,  he  was,  by  order 
of  the  supreme  power  of  3d  January,  1840,  arraigned  for 
contumacy.  In  his  defense,  he  published  his  accusations, 
under  the  title  of  "The  Morality  of  the  General  Regu- 
lations and  Administration  of  the  Rite  of  Misrairn." 
The  brothers  Bedarride  endeavored  to  refute  the  charges 
contained  therein,  but  their  response  served  rather  to  con- 
firm than  to  destroy  the  accusations  of  the  brother  Tern- 
esien. 

The  adversaries  of  the  Rite  of  Misraim,  or,  more  prop- 
erly, those  of  the  brothers  Bedarride,  rapidly  increased. 
In  an  article  in  the  "  Globe,"  entitled  "Archives  of  Ancient 
and  Modern  Initiations,"  in  which  the  utility  of  Masonic 
decorations  is  questioned,  Brother  Juge,  the  senior  editor, 
expresses  himself  thus :  "  This  poor  Rite  of  Misraim,  which 
so  piteously  exhibits  its  distress  in  its  slender  report  of 
lodges  and  members,  and  so  audaciously  parades  its  wealth 
of  degrees — a  wealth  so  excessive  that  it  is  not  only  un- 
known in  all  its  fullness  to  the  highest  dignitaries,  but 
even  to  its  inventor,  M.  Bedarride,  who  has  not  the  ability, 
I  do  not  say  to  communicate  all  the  degrees  without  read- 
ing from  his  manuscripts,  but  who  can  not  recite  without 
this  help,  and  in  the  order  in  which  they  occur,  even  the 
names  of  his  frightful  vocabulary." — This  article  brought 
on,  between  the  brothers  Bedarride  and  the  editor  of  the 
"  Globe,"  a  war  which  terminated  very  much  to  the  disad- 
vantage of  the  former ;  for  the  latter  applied  himself  with 
so  much  ability  to  his  task,  in  the  last  numbers  of  hia 
paper  for  1840,  that  he  demonstrated  to  the  intelligence  of 


THE   RITE   OF   MISRAIM.  199 

all  that  the  Rite  of  Misraim  was  but  "a  miserable  parody 
on  Freemasonry,  and  the  creation  of  a  juggler." 

The  chiefs  continued  to  impose  upon  their  lodges  the 
burden  of  an  honor  of  $1,000  a  year  as  the  price  of  their 
administration ;  and,  pretending  that  the  receipts  had 
gradually  fallen  off,  so  that  now  there  were  not  enough 
to  pay  even  the  interest  upon  the  obligation  of  1835,  they 
induced  their  ever-devoted  General  Council  to  make  them 
a  second  letter  of  credit  for  the  sum  of  $26,358, 1  dated  the 
20th  of  September,  1840,  and  bearing  interest  from  that 
date. 

After  that  time  a  treasurer  controlled  the  receipts  and 
the  expenses,  and  in  this  manner  the  lodges  were  enabled 
to  ascertain  the  excess  of  the  former  and  apply  it  to  the 
liquidation  of  this  letter  of  credit.  Thereafter  the  lodges 
assembled  peaceably,  and  submitted  to  the  despotic  gov- 
ernment of  the  supreme  power;  but  the  members  gradu- 
ally diminished  each  year. 

In  the  month  of  April,  1856,  the  brother  Mark  Bedar- 
ride  died.  His  death  effected  no  change  in  the  situation 
of  the  rite,  which  pursued  its  unsteady  course,  affording 
nothing  incidental  worthy  of  note. 

A  reproach  of  a  very  grave  character  had  been  ad- 
dressed to  the  chiefs  of  the  Rite  of  Misraim,  viz.,  that  no 
acts  of  charity  had  ever  been  known  to  be  performed  by 
them,  and  in  this  respect  they  had  failed  to  comply  with 
the  rirst  duty  of  Freemasons.  In  1851,  a  fact  of  this  na- 
ture occasioned  a  new  schism.  A  brother,  an  officer  of  the 
empire,  possessed  of  all  the  high  degrees  of  the  rite,  died 

1  This  obligation  was  made  up  as  follows : 

1.  Amount  of  the  claim  October  1,  1835 102,785  fr.  30 

2.  For  the  direction  of  the  Order  for  five  years, 

at  5,000  fr.  a  year,  from  1835  to  1840 25,000  fr. 

Five  years  interest  at  5  per  cent,  per  annum     1,250 —       26,250        00 
8.  Interest  on  the  principal  of  102,785  fr 2,757        70 


131,793  fr.  00 


200  GENERAL   HISTORY  OF   FREEMASONRY. 

in  a  hospital.  Several  brethren,  desirous  of  defraying  the 
expenses  of  his  funeral,  and  aiding  his  widow,  who  was  in 
deep  poverty,  sought  the  chief,  Michael  Bedarride,  who 
responded  to  their  request  by  saying,  coldly,  "The  Order 
has  no  funds.  All  the  receipts  are  absorbed  in  defraying 
necessary  expenses,  and  in  paying  the  interest  due  upon  a 
etter  of  credit  delivered  to  me  by  order  of  the  General 
Council."  The  majority  of  the  members,  even  those  who 
possessed  the  eighty- seventh  degree,  had  never  heard  of  this 
obligation  of  the  General  Council,  although  they  had  signed 
the  oath  by  which  it  was  recognized.  They  were  surprised, 
and,  after  some  conference  among  themselves,  they  dele- 
gated one  of  their  number  to  wait  upon  the  chief,  and  pro- 
pose to  him  that  if  he  would  renounce  his  claim  under 
this  letter  of  credit,  they  would  pay  him  four  thousand 
francs  a  year.  This  proposition,  as  might  be  expected, 
was  rejected  with  disdain  by  the  Grand  Conservator. 
Then,  thirty-three  members,  led  by  the  brother  Boubee,  re- 
solved to  detach  themselves  from  the  Order,  and  to  found 
another  Masonic  assembly  professing  the  same  rite.  With 
this  object  they  addressed,  on  the  22d  of  May,  1851,  to  the 
Minister  of  the  Interior,  a  petition,  and  supported  the  same 
with  the  following  reasons  for  separating  themselves  from 
what  they  styled  "  the  supreme  power  of  the  Order  of  Mis- 
raim :"  1. — The  facts  we  have  mentioned.  2. — That  the 
chiefs  had  prepared  an  oath  guaranteeing  the  payment  of 
a  claim  which  was  unknown  to  the  petitioners,  although 
they,  by  subscribing  to  such  oath,  became  responsible  for 
the  payment  of  this  claim.  3. — That  by  virtue  of  the  ab- 
solute power  with  which  he  pretended  that  he  was  in- 
vested, the  brother  Michael  Bedarride  not  only  retained  all 
the  money  received  for  initiations  and  degrees ;  but,  con- 
trary to  the  regulations,  conferred  at  his  own  residence  all 
kinds  of  degrees  upon  whoever  would  pay  him  the  money 
demanded  for  them.  4. — That  ashamed  to  state  they  had 
been  enslaved  so  long,  they  had  given  in  their  demission, 


THE   RITE   OF   MISRAIM.  201 

and  formed  the  design  of  founding  a  lodge  under  the  title 
of  "  Grand  Orient  of  the  Valley  of  Egypt." 

The  prayer  of  the  petition  having  heen  refused,  the  thirty- 
three  dissenters  conferred  with  the  brother  Voury,  an  officer 
of  the  Grand  Orient  of  France  and  Worshipful  Master  of 
the  lodge  "Jerusalem  of  Constance,"  then  suspended,  and 
decided  to  reorganize  this  lodge,  under  the  title  of  "Jerusa- 
lem of  the  Valley  of  Egypt."  It  was  in  this  manner  that 
the  anti-masonic  sentiments  which  animated  the  chief  of 
the  Rite  of  Misraim  detached  from  that  rite  its  valuable 
members  and  diminished  the  revenues  of  its  jurisdiction. 

The  Lodge  of  Adoption,  created  from  the  foundation  of 
the  rite,  very  rarely  gave  any  sign  of  life.  It  had  been 
organized,  we  regret  to  say,  with  an  entirely  speculative 
object,  which  should  have  been  repugnant  to  the  feelings 
of  the  worthy  and  respectable  ladies  who,  at  the  order  of 
the  brother  Bedarride,  filled  its  offices  on  certain  occasions. 
The  ladies  who  successively  filled  the  office  of  Grand  Mis- 
tress of  this  Lodge  of  Adoption  are  the  respectable  sisters 
Gabrielle  Fernet,  Courtois,  Breano,  Maxime,  of  the  Theater 
Francais,  and  Block  de  Berthier. 

The  death  of  the  brother  Michael  Bedarride,  which  took 
place  on  the  10th  February,  1856,  put  an  end  to  the  lacera- 
tion of  feelings  endured  for  so  long  a  time  by  the  mem- 
bers who  remained  faithful  to  the  rite.  Feeling  his  end 
approaching,  Michael  Bedarride,  by  his  will,  dated  the  1st 
January,  1856,  created  the  brother  Hayere1  Grand  Con- 
servator of  the  Order ;  but,  on  the  24th  January,  he  named 
him  his  representative,  legatee,  and  successor,  and,  upon 
condition  that  he  would  pay  his  debts,  placed  in  his  hands 
the  letter  of  credit  of  which  wre  have  spoken. 

By  a  decree  of  the  new  supreme  power,  dated  27th 
March,  1856,  it  was  decided  that  they  would  not  leave,  as 

Brother  .Hayere,  a  physician  and  chemist,  was  initiated  into  the  Kite 
of  Hisraim  on  the  13th  October,  1840,  and  created  Grand  Master  of  the 
ninetieth  degree  on  the  llth  June,  1855. 


202  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

a  charge  upon  the  lodges  of  the  Rite  of  Misraim,  a  debt,1 
styled  by  Brother  Hayere  as  "  accursed,"-  and  which  had 
caused  so  much  perjury,  seeing  that,  with  the  actual  reve- 
nues of  thirty  years,  it  had  not  been  extinguished.  By 
the  General  Council  this  debt  was  then  declared  extinct, 
while  that  body,  nevertheless,  charged  itself  with  the  set- 
tlement of  the  debts,  amounting  to  about  $1,000,  of  the 
deceased  chief.  This  decision,  honorable  in  all  its  bear- 
ings, proves  that  true  Masonic  sentiments  animated  the 
brethren  of  the  Rite  of  Misraim. 

The  lodges  of  Misraim,  thus  discharged  from  a  debt 
amounting  to  $15,589,  and  a  yearly  tax  of  $1,000,  were 
made  easy  in  their  finances,  and  their  receipts  enabled 
them  in  a  few  years  to  pay  the  debt  of  their  chief,  and  re- 
imburse gradually  Brother  Hayere  the  advances  made  by 
him,  with  a  generous  disinterestedness  upon  this  debt,  to 
the  most  pressing  creditors. 

The  new  chief  strove,  as  much  as  possible,  to  meet  all 
the  exigences,  abolish  the  abuses,  and  introduce  reforms. 
None  of  the  numerous  complaints  made  against  the  ad- 
ministration of  his  predecessor  were  heard,  and  the  loyal 
character  of  Brother  Hayere  guarantee  us  in  believing 
they  will  never  be  renewed  so  long  as  he  controls  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  rite. 

But  no  effort  that  can  be  put  forth  by  the  new  chief  can 
long  arrest  the  certain  dissolution  of  this  Order.  The 
germs  of  its  mortality  are  borne  within  its  bosom;  and 
when  it  shall  descend,  like  its  brother  rite  of  Memphis,  to 
the  tomb,  nothing  but  its  total  regeneration  can  ever  rec- 
ommend it  to  the  Masonic  Fraternity. 

1  The  debt  as  recognized  by  the  last  letter  of  credit,  amounting,  in  the 
month  of  September,  1840,  to  $26,358,  was  found,  at  the  death  of  Michael 
Bedarride,  by  the  excess  of  receipts  which  had  been  applied  by  the 
treasurer  to  its  liquidation,  and  credited  by  M.  Bedarride,  to  be  reduced 
to  $15,589. 


A  CONCISE  HISTORY 

OF   THE 

RITE    OF    MEMPHIS, 

BINGE  ITS  CREATION,  IN   1838,  TO  ITS  FUSION  WITH  THE  GRAND 
ORIENT  OF  FRANCE,  IN  1862. 


THE  Rite  of  Memphis,  next  to  that  of  Misraim,  is  the 
most  recent  creation  of  Masonry.  Its  author  is  the  brother 
Marconis  de  Negre,  who  has  copied  it  from  the  Rite  of 
Misraim,  to  which  it  principally  belongs. 

In  a  book  entitled  "The  Sanctuary  of  Memphis,"  the 
brother  Marconis,  who  therein  discovers  himself  as  the 
creator  of  this  rite,  briefly  touches  up  its  history  as  fol- 
lows: 

"  The  Kite  of  Memphis,  or  Oriental  Rite,  was  carried  to  Europe 
by  Ormes,  seraphic  priest  of  Alexandria  and  Egyptian  sage,  who 
was  converted  by  St.  Mark,  in  the  year  46  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
who  purified  the  doctrine  of  the  Egyptians  according  to  the  prin- 
ciples of  Christianity. 

"  The  disciples  of  Ormes  remained  until  1118  sole  possessors 
of  the  ancient  wisdom  of  Egypt,  purified  by  Christianity  and  the 
science  of  Solomon.  This  science  having  been  communicated  to 
the  Templars,  they  were  then  known  as  Knights  of  Palestine,  or 
Rose- Cross  Brothers  of  the  East.  It  is  the  latter  who  may  be  re- 
cognized as  the  immediate  founders  of  the  Rite  of  Memphis."  *  * 

"  The  Masonic  Rite  of  Memphis  is  the  continuation  of  the  mys- 
teries of  antiquity.  It  taught  the  first  men  to  render  homage  to 

(203) 


204  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

the  divine  principle  ;  its  dogmas  repose  upon  the  principles  of  the 
human  race  ;  its  mission  the  study  of  wisdom,  which  seeks  to  dis- 
cover the  secrets  of  nature.  It  is  the  beatific  aurora  of  the  devel- 
opment of  reason  and  intelligence  ;  it  is  the  worship  of  the  best 
qualities  of  the  human  heart  and  suppression  of  its  vices  ;  it  is, 
finally,  the  echo  of  religious  tolerance,  the  union  of  all  beliefs,  the 
bond  that  unites  humanity,  the  symbol  of  the  happy  illusions  of 
hope,  preaching  faith  in  God,  who  preserves,  and  charity,  which 
blesses." 

As  will  be  seen,  from  what  we  have  quoted,  this  rite  has 
all  the  pretension  possible  to  be  claimed  for  it,  in  giving  it 
to  us  as  the  continuation  of  the  mysteries  of  antiquity,  and 
more  than  was  ever  claimed  for  any  condition  of  Freema- 
sonry. Nevertheless,  its  founder  is  the  first  to  contradict 
his  preachings  by  his  practice ;  for  one  of  the  principal  du- 
ties of  his  adepts  consists  in  being  always  truthful.  His 
book — which  is  but  a  frame-work  of  absurdities  invented 
by  himself  with  the  object  of  deceiving  the  credulous — will, 
in  the  passages  quoted  and  in  the  following,  prove  this : 

"  The  Rite  of  Memphis  is  the  only  depository  of  high  Masonry, 
the  true  primitive  rite,  the  rite  par  excellence.  It  has  come  down 
to  us  without  alteration,  and,  consequently,  is  the  only  rite  justified 
by  its  origin,  by  its  constant  exercise  of  all  its  rights,  and  by  its 
constitutions,  which  it  is  impossible  to  revoke  or  doubt  their  au- 
thenticity. The  Rite  of  Memphis,  or  Oriental  Rite,  is  the  true 
Masonic  tree,  and  all  the  Masonic  systems,  such  as  they  are,  are 
nothing  but  the  branches  detached  from  this  respectable  and 
highly  antique  institution,  whose  birth  took  place  in  Egypt — the 
real  depot  of  the  principles  of  Masonry,  written  in  Chaldean,  and 
preserved,  in  the  venerated  ark  of  the  Rite  of  Memphis,  in  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  Scotland,  at  Edinburgh,  and  in  the  convent  of  the 
Maronites,  on  Mount  Lebanon." 

To  this  extract  we  subjoin  the  first  article  of  the  organic 
statutes,  and  by  which  we  may  judge  the  remainder : 


THE   RITE   OF   MEMPHIS.  205 

"Brother  Marconis  de  Ncgre,  the  Grand  Hierophant,  is  the 
only  sacred  depositary  of  the  traditions  of  this  Sublime  Order" 

After  that  it  would  be  superfluous  to  ask  what  are  the 
constitutions  "which  it  is  impossible  to  revoke,  or  doubt 
their  authenticity ;"  or  what  are  these  precious  documents, 
"written  in  the  Chaldean  language,  and  preserved  in  the 
venerated  ark  of  the  Rite  of  Memphis,"  etc.  "With  those 
in  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Scotland  and  in  the  convent  on 
Mount  Lebanon,  it  is  simply  necessary  to  say  that,  like 
those  upon  which  the  Supreme  Council  for  France  was 
founded,  they  never  existed. 

It  is  ever  thus  the  same  language,  the  same  tactics  are 
employed,  by  the  inventors  of  rites,  wherewith,  during  the 
last  century  and  a  half,  to  delude  their  proselytes. 

Concerning  the  introduction  of  this  rite  into  France,  the 
brother  Marconis  de  Negre,  and,  after  him,  some  of  his 
credulous  adepts,  recounted  that  the  brother  Honis,  a  na- 
tive of  Cairo,  had  brought  it  from  Egypt  in  1814,  (but 
without  saying  by  whom  it  had  been  there  communicated 
to  him,)  and  had,  with  the  father  of  Brother  Marconis  de 
!N"egre,  (the  brother  Gabriel-Mathew  Marconis,)  Baron 
Dumas,  and  the  Marquis  de  la  Roque,  founded  a  lodge  of 
•this  rite  at  Montauban,  on  the  30th  April,  1815  ;  that  this 
lodge  had  been  closed  on  the  7th  March,  1816,  (they  did 
not  say  why,)  and  that,  in  consequence,  the  archives  had 
been  confided  to  the  father  of  Marconis  de  E"egre,  named 
(they  did  not  say  by  whom)  Grand  Hierophant  of  the 
Order,  or,  otherwise,  Grand  Master. 

The  incorrectness  of  these  assertions  is  easily  demon- 
strated, Brother  James  Stephen  Marconis  was  initiated 
at  Paris  into  the  rite  of  Memphis  on  the  21st  of  April, 
1833.  He  was  then  twenty-seven  years  of  age.  He  re- 
ceived on  that  day  thirteen  degrees;  for  the  ladder  of 
Misraim  is  quickly  mounted.  In  consequence  of  the  com- 
plaints made  against  him  by  some  of  his  brethren,  he  was 
expelled  on  the  27th  June,  1833.  He  shortly  afterward 


206  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

quitted  Paris  and  went  to  Lyons,  where,  under  the  name 
of  ITegre.  he  founded  a  lodge  of  the  Rite  of  Misraim,  under 
the  style  of  "Good  "Will,"  and  of  which  he  was  the  presi- 
dent. While  occupying  this  position,  he  was  elevated  to 
the  sixty-sixth  degree  by  the  brothers  Bedarride,  who  were 
not  aware  that  Brother  Negre  and  Brother  J.  S.  Marconis 
were  one  and  the  same  person.  In  consequence  of  some 
new  complaints  addressed  to  the  brothers  Bedarride,  as 
chiefs  of  the  rite,  by  the  brethren  at  Lyons,  Brother  Mar- 
conis was  again  expelled,  under  the  new  name  of  Kegre, 
on  the  27th  May,  1838. 

After  this  latter  expulsion,  having  no  hope  of  again 
being  able  to  play  any  part  either  in  the  Rite  of  Misraim 
or  any  other  rite  then  practiced,  and  feeling  conscious  that 
he  possessed  much  more  capacity  to  direct  a  lodge,  or  even 
a  rite,  than  the  brothers  Bedarride,  he  did  as  was  done  by 
Lechangeur  of  Milan,  and  by  the  five  Israelites  at  Charles- 
ton— he  created  a  Masonic  power. 

The  ladder  of  Misraim,  as  fabricated  by  Lechangeur, 
and  augmented  by  the  addition  of  a  few  more  rounds,  gave 
him  his  Rite  of  Memphis  with  but  little  labor.  The  work 
finished,  he  constituted  himself  its  chief.  To  give  his  rite 
an  origin  and  a  history  was  not  difficult.  In  this  depart- 
ment he  exhibited,  however,  more  respect  for  the  opinions 
of  mankind,  and  the  good  sense  of  the  Fraternity,  than  did 
the  brother  Michael  Bedarride,  who,  in  his  history  of  the 
"  Order  of  Misraim,"  was  not  content,  as  Lechangeur  had 
been,  with  stating  that  this  Order  was  the  work  of  a  king 
of  Egypt  named  Misraim,  but  went  much  further  for  its 
origin,  even  to  God  himself.  Brother  Marconis  dated  his 
rite  from  but  the  commencement  of  the  Christian  era.  By 
this  exhibition  of  modesty  he  probably  expected  to  disarm 
inquiry,  convert  the  credulous  and  religiously  disposed, 
and  inspire  them  with  faith  in  the  "precious  documents 
written  in  the  Chaldean  language,"  which  he  announced 
were  to  be  found  in  the  "venerated  ark  of  the  Rite  of 


THE   RITE    OF   MEMPHIS.  207 

Memphis,"  whenever  he  would  think  proper  to  exhibit 
those  documents  to  their  admiring  gaze. 

As  Brother  Marconis  was  much  the  superior,  both  in 
education  and  talents,  of  the  fabricator  of  the  Rite  of 
Misraim,  he  found  it  very  easy  to  vary  the  degrees  of  that 
rite,  change  their  names,  and  give  them  a  signification 
sufficiently  different  to  destroy  the  identity  of  their  origin. 

To  give  the  reader  an  idea  of  the  extravagance  of  this 
creation,  we  will  present  here  an  extract  from  the  constitu- 
tion of  the  Rite  of  Memphis : 

"  The  Rite  of  Memphis  is  regulated  by  five  Supreme  Councils, 
viz.:  1.  The  Sanctuary  of  the  Patriarchs,  Grand  Conservators  of  the 
Order.  2.  The  Mystic  Temple  of  Sovereign  Princes  of  Memphis. 
3.  The  Sovereign  General  Grand  Council  of  Grand  Regulating- 
Inspectors  of  the  Order.  4.  The  Grand  Liturgical  College  of 
Sublime  Interpreters  of  Masonic  Sciences  and  Hieroglyphics.  5. 
The  Supreme  Grand  Tribunal  of  Protectors  of  the  Order. 

"  The  Sanctuary  is  divided  into  three  sections,  viz.  :  1.  The 
Mystic  Section,  in  which  reposes  the  venerated  ark  of  the  tradi- 
tions. 2.  The  Emblematic,  Scientific,  and  Philosophic  Sections  ; 
and,  3.  The  Governing  Section. 

"  The  Mystic  Section,  in  which  are  to  be  found  the  traditions, 
rituals,  documents,  instructions,  and  general  archives,  etc.,  is  com- 
posed of  the  Grand  Hierophant  and  his  organ. 

"  The  Emblematic,  Scientific,  and  Philosophic  Section  is  com- 
posed of  seven  lights,  viz. :  1.  The  Grand  Hierophaut,  Sublime 
Master  of  Light,  (Brother  Marconis.)  2.  The  organ  of  the 
Grand  Hierophant.  3.  The  Grand  Master,  President  of  the 
Sanctuary,  (particular  executive  of  the  Order.)  4.  The  Grand 
Master,  President  of  the  Mystic  Temple  (general  executive.)  5. 
The  Grand  Master,  President  of  the  Sovereign  Grand  General 
Council.  6.  The  Grand  Master,  President  of  the  Grand  Liturgi- 
cal College.  7.  The  Grand  Master,  President  of  the  Supreme 
Grand  Tribunal. 

"  This  Section  exercises  no  authority  in  the  government  of  the 
Order,  its  action  being  purely  doctrinal  and  magisterial." 


208         GENERAL  HISTORY  OF  FREEMASONRY. 

It  might  be  readily  believed  that  such  an  organization 
as  the  above  might  be  sufficient  to  regulate  the  affairs  of 
an  Asian  or  African  Empire,  comprising  millions  of  human 
beings.  Ridicule  will,  therefore,  be  pushed  to  its  utmost 
when  it  is  known  that  this  formidable  construction  was 
organized  to  govern  an  association  of  men  who  are  believed 
to  be  devoted  to  the  development  of  their  reason  and  in- 
telligence, and  to  the  study  of  wisdom. 

After  having  completed  the  rituals  of  his  rite,  in  1838, 
Brother  Marconis  presented  himself  in  Belgium  as  the  suc- 
cessor of  his  father  in  the  high  office  of  Grand  Hierophant, 
and  entered  into  some  negotiations  to  establish  his  rite. 
He  then  returned  to  Paris,  where,  under  the  name  of  Mar- 
conis Letuillart,  he  succeeded  in  enrolling  some  isolated 
brethren,  and,  with  them,  organizing  a  lodge  which  he 
named  "  Disciples  of  Memphis ;"  and,  on  the  2Cd  March, 
1838,  he  organized  a  Grand  Lodge,  under  the  title  of 
"  Osiris,"  to  which  was  intrusted  the  direction  of  all  the 
operative  lodges  which  he  hoped  he  might  establish.  On 
the  23d  May,  1839,  he  organized  a  chapter  of  "Philadel- 
phics,"  and  on  the  29th  February,  1840,  the  lodge  "  Sages 
of  Heliopolis." 

On  the  7th  April,  1839,  he  published  his  organic  stat- 
utes, and  organized  two  lodges  in  Brussels. 

Immediately  following  the  organization  oi/his  first  lodge 
in  Paris,  the  brothers  Bedarride  wrote  the  prefect  of 
police,  informing  that  officer  that  Brother  Marconis  had 
been  twice  expelled,  for  malfeasance,  from  the  Rite  of 
Misraim,  and  requesting  that  he  be  prohibited  from  en- 
gaging in  Masonic  labors  thereafter  in  that  city.  The  pre- 
fect not  having  immediately  complied  with  their  demand, 
on  the  2d  November  they  issued  a  circular,  warning  their 
lodges  and  councils  against  Brother  Marconis,  and  stating 
the  reasons  of  his  duplicate  expulsion.  Thereupon  the 
police  visited  the  lodges  organized  by  Brother  Marconis ; 
but  it  was  not  until  the  17th  May,  1840,  that  permission  to 


THE   RITE    OF   MEMPHIS.  209 

assemble  their  membership  was  refused  him ;  and,  without 
any  reason  being  assigned,  those  lodges  had  to  suspend 
their  meetings. 

From  that  time  Brother  Marconis  devoted  his  attention 
to  Masonic  literature. l 

Favored  by  the  political  events  of  1848,  Brother  Marco 
nis  labored  to  revive  his  lodges  in  Paris,  and  succeeded  in 
reorganizing,  in  1849,  three  of  them,  and  afterward  a  coun 
cil  and  chapter ;  but  the  lodges  which  he  had  established 
in  Belgium  refused  resurrection.2 

During  the  short  time  Brother  Marconis  de  !^"egre — for 
it  is  under  this  name  he  is  best  known — maintained  his 
lodges  in  activity,  he  followed  the  example  of  the  brothers 
Bedarride,  and  obtained  adherents  among  the  members  of 
the  Grand  Orient  and  the  Supreme  Council,  who,  although 
remaining  attached  to  these  bodies,  accepted  of  him  diplo- 
mas conferring  upon  them  the  high  degrees  of  Memphis. 

Finding  that  his  rite  was  not  obtaining  any  consistence 
at  Paris,  Brother  Marconis  repaired,  in  1850,  to  London, 
in  the  hope  there  to  find  some  person  disposed  to  accept 
its  distinctions ;  and,  not  without  considerable  effort,  he 
succeeded  in  establishing  a  lodge,  under  the  title  of  "  The 
Sectarians  of  Menes,"  which  was  instituted  on  the  16th 
July,  1851,  and  which  was  charged  with  the  responsibili- 
ties of  a  Supreme  Council  for  the  British  isles.  Brother 


lThe  principal  works  published  by  Brother  Marconis  (de  Negre)  are: 
"The  Sanctuary  of  Memphis,"  "The  Hierophant,"  "The  Mystic  Sun," 
"The  Mystic  Temple,"  and  "The  Masonic  Pantheon."  As  explanatory 
of  the  symbols  and  principles  of  Masonry,  these  works  have  undisputa- 
ble  value;  but  as  history  they  are  worthless,  being  principally  drawn 
from  the  imagination  of  their  author. 

2In  common  with  ail  other  fabricators  of  rites,  Brother  Marconis  sold, 
to  all  who  offered  to  buy  them,  his  constitutions  with  which  to  establish 
lodges,  chapters,  councils,  grand  lodges,  etc.  It  was  by  these  constitu- 
tions, and  in  this  manner,  that  his  rite  was  made  known  and  established 
at  a  few  points  on  the  continent  of  Europe,  and  in  New  York. 

14 


210  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

J.  P.  Berjean  was  nominated  Grand  Master  of  it,  and  rep- 
resentative of  the  Grand  Hierophant. 

The  accusations  which,  in  1850,  dissolved  the  new  Na- 
tional Grand  Lodge  of  France,  equally  affected  the  lodges 
of  the  Rite  of  Memphis,  and,  for  a  second  time,  caused 
their  suspension.  Hence,  Brother  Marconis,  finding  his 
Masonic  activity  completely  paralyzed  in  France,  was,  in  a 
manner,  forced  to  transmit  the  government  of  his  rite  to 
the  lodge  at  London,  as  the  principal  authority  extant; 
and,  on  the  30th  November,  1853,  in  accordance  with  this 
arrangement,  Brother  J.  P.  Berjean  was  solemnly  installed 
"Grand  Master  of  Light"  of  the  new  mystic  temple  and 
General  Grand  Council,  and,  at  the  same  time,  as  organ  of 
the  Grand  Hierophant. 

Starting  with  but  thirty  members,  the  labors  of  these 
were  sufficiently  arduous,  when  devoted  to  the  administra- 
tion of  so  extensive  a  form  of  government  as  the  rite  of 
Brother  Marconis  required ;  but  this  Grand  Lodge  soon 
found  its  ranks  freely  recruited  from  among  the  political 
refugees  who,  about  this  time,  sought  England  as  a  place 
of  safety.  Such  a  class,  however,  possessed  few  of  the  ele- 
ments suitable  to  harmoniously  carry  on  the  work  of  the 
rite,  and  it  was  soon  found  necessary  to  dissolve  the  lodge : 
Brother  Marconis  himself  considering  it  prudent  to  an- 
nounce that  he  had  retired  from  all  participation  in  its  la- 
bors, and,  consequently,  that  he  declined  all  responsibility 
for  its  actions. 

These  circumstances,  so  little  conducive  to  the  success 
of  the  Rite  of  Memphis,  induced  Brother  Marconis,  by  the 
aid  of  the  author  of  this  work,  to  propose,  in  1852,  to  the 
Grand  Orient,  its  affiliation  of  the  lodges  of  Memphis. 
This  proposition  being  refused,  Brother  Marconis  there- 
upon ceased  all  further  effort  on  behalf  of  the  lodges  of  his 
rite,  and  confined  his  labors  to  the  publication  of  his  many 
Masonic  books. 

Having  for  some  time  meditated  a  voyage  to  America, 


THE   KITE    OF   MEMPHIS.  211 

Brother  Marconis  de  Negre,  in  1860,  embarked  for  that 
country,  and,  on  the  14th  July  of  that  year,  organized  at 
Troy,  in  the  State  of  New  York,  a  lodge,  under  the  title  of 
"Disciples  of  Memphis,"  and  of  which  Brother  Durand,  a 
professor  of  languages,  was  nominated  Grand  Master. 

After  the  publication  of  the  circular  of  the  30th  April, 
1862,  addressed  by  the  Grand  Master,  Marshal  Magnan, 
to  the  dissenting  Masons  of  France,  Brother  Marconis 
solicited,  in  the  name  of  one  of  his  suspended  lodges,  (the 
"Sectarians  of  Menes,")  his  affiliation  with  the  Grand 
Orient  of  France.  This  request  was  complied  with,  and, 
on  the  18th  October,  1862,  this  lodge  was  formally  installed 
by  commissioners  appointed  for  that  purpose  by  the  Grand 
Orient.  On  the  30th  December  following,  a  similar  action 
took  place  with  the  lodge  "  Disciples  of  Memphis." 

Thus  despoiled  of  its  government,  its  councils,  and  of 
all  its  peculiar  attributes,  the  Rite  of  Memphis  finds  itself 
transformed  into,  at  best,  the  Scottish  Rite,  as  recognized 
by  the  Grand  Orient;  and  yet,  by  a  strange  anomaly,  the 
lodges  which  we  have  named  have  been  permitted  to  re- 
tain the  name  of  practicing  the  Rite  of  Memphis.  Other- 
wise, for  the  honor  of  Masonry,  we  consider  the  work  of 
Brother  Marconis  extinct  in  France,  and  we  trust  that 
wherever  else  it  exists  it  may  shortly  be  consigned  to  the 
tomb  of  its  race. 


A  CONCISE  HISTORY 

OF   THE 

ORIGIN  OF  ALL  THE  RITES  FOR  HIGH  DEGREES, 

INTRODUCED  INTO  FREEMASONRY  FROM  1736.  TO  THE 
PRESENT  TIME. 


FKEEMASONKY,  after  its  transformation  at  London,  in 
1717,  from  a  partly  mechanical  and  partly  philosophical 
institution  to  one  purely  moral  and  philosophic,  retained 
the  three  traditional  degrees  of  Apprentice,  Fellow  Craft,  and 
Master  Mason ;  and  all  the  lodges  organized  since  that  time, 
as  well  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  London  as  by  the  Grand 
Lodges  of  Scotland  and  Ireland^  have  been  so  constituted, 
and  have  never  conferred  any  other  than  the  three  sym- 
bolic degrees  above  named,  and  which  constitute  the  Rite 
of  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons  of  England — 
the  only  true  traditional  Masonry. 

It  was  not  until  the  partisans  of  the  Stuarts  had  come 
to  France,  in  the  suite  of  the  Pretender,  that  English 
Masonry  was  denaturalized  by  them,  and  used  as  a  cloak 
to  cover  their  revolutionary  projects. 

The  desire  to  restore  the  family  of  the  Stuarts  to  the 
throne  of  England,  and  thus  to  favor  the  interests  of 
Roman  Catholicism,  suggested  to  the  partisans  of  that 
family  and  those  interests  the  idea  of  forming  secret  asso- 
ciations,, by  which  to  carry  out  their  plans;  and  it  was 
with  this  object  that  they  obtained  entrance  into  the  Ma- 
sonic lodges  on  the  continent. 
(212) 


ORIGIN   OF   ALL    THE    RITES    FOR    HIGH    DEGREES.          213 

They  commenced  in  France,  through  the  agency  of  one 
of  their  most  eminent  emissaries,  the  Doctor,  Baron  of 
.Ramsay,1  to  spread  a  rite  of  five  degrees  which  they  had 
vainly  endeavored  to  make  acceptable  in  London.  This 
Doctor  or  Baron  of  Ramsay,  between  the  years  1736  and 
3738,  augmented  this  rite  by  the  addition  of  two  degrees, 
and  then  called  it  "Scottish,"  because,  as  he  maintained, 
it  proceeded  from  a  powerful  Masonic  authority  in  Scot- 
land. He  delivered  to  the  proselytes,  whom  he  had 
known  himself  to  have  made  in  France,  personal  consti- 
tutions or  patents,  emanating  from  a  self-styled  chapter  of 
Masons  sitting  at  Edinburgh.  This  chapter  was  composed 
of  partisans  of  the  Stuarts,  who  had  constituted  them- 
selves into  a  Masonic  authority  before  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  Scotland  existed,  with  the  sole  object  of  forwarding 
the  projects  of  the  uncrowned  princes.  According  to  the 
Baron  of  Ramsay,  and  other  emissaries,  this  chapter  alone 
possessed  the  true  science  of  Masonry,  which  science,  as 

1  Baron  Ramsay  was  converted  to  the  Roman  Catholic  religion  by 
Fenelon,  and  afterward  became  preceptor  at  Rome  to  the  son  of  the 
dethroned  king,  James  III.  He  came  to  France  in  1728.  After  having 
failed  in  London  in  his  attempt  to  organize,  in  the  interests  of  the 
Stuarts,  a  new  Masonry  calculated  to  annihilate  the  influence  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  London,  he  addressed  himself  to  a  like  work  in  France, 
and  presented  himself  in  Paris,  furnished  with  powers  from  a  Masonic 
authority  represented  to  be  sitting  at  Edinburgh.  It  was  not  until  about 
1736  that  he  appears  to  have  succeeded  in  establishing  in  some  lodges 
his  political  system. 

It  is  true  that  Lord  Derwentwater,  and  also  Lord  Harn  wester,  who 
succeeded  each  other  as  the  first  Grand  Masters  of  the  Provincial  Grand 
Lodge  of  France,  were  also  partisans  of  the  Stuarts;  but  they  do  not 
appear  to  have  been  initiated  into  the  revolutionary  projects  of  the 
Jesuits,  as  was  Doctor  Ramsay;  for  it  was  not  until  after  their  departur 
for  England — where  both  perished  on  the  scaffold,  victims  of  their  at- 
tachment to  the  Pretender — that  Baron  Ramsay  introduced  his  system 
among  the  lodges.  While  Lord  Derwentwater  was  Grand  Master  of 
the  Provincial  Grand  Lodge  of  France,  in  1729,  Baron  Ramsay  filled  the 
office  of  orator.  He  died  in  1743,  aged  fifty-seven,  at  St.  Germain-en- 
Laye. 


214  GENERAL   HISTORY  OF   FREEMASONRY. 

was  apparent  from  the  history  of  it  which  they  had  es- 
tablished, had  been  created  by  Godfrey  de  Bouillon.  We 
have  no  account  of  any  of  the  chapters  founded  by  Baron 
Ramsay,  and  they  do  not  appear  to  have  been  of  much 
importance ;  but,  in  1743',  another  partisan  of  the  Stuarts 
founded  at  Marseilles  a  lodge  of  "St.  John  of  Scotland," 
with  eighteen  degrees,  which  subsequently  took  the  title 
of  Scottish  Mother  Lodge  of  France,  and  constituted  many 
lodges  in  Provence,  and  even  some  in  the  Levant.  An- 
other system,  probably  Ramsay's,  was  established  at  Lyons 
by  a  partisan  of  the  Stuarts,  and  afterwards  worked  b}'  the 
Jesuits. 

It  was  not,  however,  until  after  Charles  Edward  Stuart, 
born  at  Rome,  the  son  of  the  Pretender,  had  been  ini- 
tiated, and  had  founded,  by  a  charter  granted  by  himself, 
as  patron,  a  chapter  of  high  degrees  at  Arras,  in  1747, 
under  the  title  of  "  Scottish  Jacobite  Masonry,"  that  the 
lodges  to  which  were  attached  high  degrees  increased  in 
France.  At  Toulouse,  in  1748,  an  attache  of  the  Pre- 
tender, named  Lockhart,  organized  a  chapter  which  prac- 
ticed a  rite  of  nine  degrees,  under  the  name  of  "  Faithful 
Scots."  In  1766  another  adherent  constituted  the  mother 
lodge  of  the  county  Yenaissin,  in  Avignon,  which,  in  its 
turn,  in  1776,  organized  the  "Grand  Lodge  of  the  Philo- 
sophic Rite  in  Paris,"  and  then  united  itself  with  that 
Grand  Lodge.  * 

Another  partisan  of  the  Stuarts,  the  Chevalier  Bonne- 
ville,  one  of  the  most  zealous  emissaries  of  the  Jesuits — 
under  the  patronage  of  the  Chapter  of  Clermont,  which 
was,  in  1754,  created  by  the  Jesuits  of  the  College  (Con- 
vent) of  Clermont1 — organized  several  chapters,  and  which, 
for  the  purpose  of  more  fully  working  this  system  of  Ma- 
sonry, they  installed  in  a  magnificent  locality,  outside  the 
walls  of  Paris,  called  New  France.  In  1756,  these  chap- 

1  It  was  in  this  college  that  the  Pretender  lived  for  many  yeara 


ORIGIN   OF   ALL   THE    RITES   FOR   HIGH   DEGREES,          215 

ters  elaborated  a  new  Masonic  system,  which  they  styled 
" Strict  Observance" — an  arrangement  which  has  been 
wrongly  attributed  to  the  Chevalier  Bonneville,  he  being, 
with  others,  nothing  more  than  one  of  its  most  zealous 
propagators  in  France,  while  a  person  named  Stark  acted 
in  a  like  capacity  in  Germany,  between  1756  and  1758. 

An  extravagant  and  ambitious  man  named  Pirlet,  the 
presiding  officer  of  a  lodge  in  Paris,  and  who  had  recog- 
nized the  true  authorship  of  these  new  Masonic  systems, 
sought  their  injury,  if  not  destruction,  by  the  creation  of 
an  opposing  system.  For  this  purpose,  in  1757,  by  the  aid 
of  some  Masons  to  whom  he  imparted  his  knowledge,  he 
created  a  chapter  of  "Knights  of  the  East."  Not  meeting 
with  the  success  he  had  expected,  he  concluded  to  accept 
the  office  of  propagator  of  a  new  rite  elaborated  by  the 
Jesuits  at  Lyons,  with  a  scale  of  twenty-five  degrees,  and 
to  which  was  given  the  pompous  title  of  "Emperors  of 
the  East  and  West,  Sovereign  Prince  Masons."  The 
propagators  of  this  rite  announced  to  their  proselytes  that 
it  was  the  most  elevated  of  all  Masonry  practiced  in  the 
East,  and  from  whence  it  had  been  imported  to  France. 
This  was  the  rite  subsequently  called  "Perfection,  or  Har- 
odom."  Pirlet,  directed  secretly  by  the  Jesuits,  who  were 
not  seen  in  the  management,  gave,  like  all  the  propaga- 
tors, inventors,  and  importers  of  rites,  who  make  of  them 
a  species  of  property,  a  fabulous  origin  to  this  new  rite ; 
and  several  officers  and  members  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
France  were  initiated,  though  bound  by  an  oath,  under  its 
constitution,  not  to  recognize  any  degrees  as  Masonic  ex- 
cept those  of  their  Grand  Lodge,  which  consisted  of  the 
three  symbolic  degrees  alone.  These  initiates  became 
officers  of  the  "Council  of  Emperors  of  the  East  and 
West,  Sovereign  Prince  Masons;"  and  it  was  this  council 
that,  in  1761,  delivered  to  Stephen  Morin  a  patent  where- 
with to  enable  him  to  propagate  the  rite  in  America.  This 
Rite  of  Perfection,  of  twenty -five  degrees,  was  propagated 


216  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

in  Germany  by  the  officers  of  the  army  of  Broglie.  but 
more  particularly  by  the  Marquis  of  Berny,  a  French  gen- 
tleman, and  his  deputy  Rosa,  a  Lutheran  priest,  who  in  a 
short  time  organized  seventeen  lodges  of  the  rite  in  the 
States-general,  or  parliament  of  the  country.  This  rite 
infiltrated  itself,  in  this  manner,  into  the  Grand  Lodge  at 
the  Three  Globes  in  Berlin;  and  when  the  king,  Freder- 
ick the  Great,  who  had  been  Grand  Master  of  this  lodge 
from  1744  to  1747,  was  advised  of  this  fact  by  one  of  the 
officers  of  the  lodge,  his  minister  of  war,  he  was  so  en- 
raged that  he  manifested  his  discontent  by  a  great  oath. 
Many  of  the  Grand  Lodges  of  Germany,  and  those  of 
Hamburg  and  Switzerland  more  particularly,  who  for  a 
long  time  resisted  the  admission  of  these  innovations, 
closed  and  became  dissolved  after  the  high  degrees  had 
insinuated  themselves  among  and  into  their  constituent 
lodges.  But  these  degrees  were  not  always  so  successful 
in  their  object  to  destroy  primitive  Masonry;  for  as  soon 
as,  by  pushing  inquiry,  it  was  found  from  whence  they 
had  emanated,  and  their  source  discovered  to  be  impure, 
they  fell  into  disrepute  and  contempt. 

It  was  thus  that  this  Rite  of  Perfection  became  unpopu- 
lar in  Paris  in  1780,  and  unable  to  sustain  itself,  and  its 
membership  obliged  to  unite  their  scattered  fragments 
into  a  chapter  of  "  Knights  of  the  East" — the  rite  created 
by  Pirlet.  Notwithstanding  this  union,  however,  so  low 
had  the  reputation  of  the  possessors  of  these  degrees  fallen, 
that  they  were  forced  to  recruit  their  ranks  and  the  mem- 
bership of  this  chapter  from  among  any  persons  who  could 
pay  them  the  price  of  their  degrees.  Such  action,  per- 
sisted in,  caused  the  death  of  this  chapter,  but  not  with- 
out leaving  some  unhappy  traces  of  its  labors ;  for  while 
some  of  its  members  endeavored  to  organize  a  General 
Grand  Chapter  of  the  Rite  of  Perfection  for  France,  others 
became  discontented,  discordant,  and,  in  this  condition  of 
mind,  became  willing  assistants  of  De  Grasse-Tilly,  who, 


ORIGIN   OF   ALL   THE   RITES   FOR   HIGH   DEGREES.          217 

in  1804,  arrived  in  Paris  from  St.  Domingo,  bearing  a 
patent  from  a  Supreme  Council  sitting  at  Charleston,  em- 
powering him  to  organize  a  council  of  a  rite  of  thirty-three 
degrees,  and,  by  the  aid  of  such  malcontents,  he  did  or- 
ganize the  "  Supreme  Council  for  France  of  Sovereign 
Grand  Inspectors  General  of  the  33d  and  last  degree  of 
the  Ancient  and  Accepted  Scottish  Rite," 

It  will  be  easily  perceived  that,  at  an  early  stage  of  its 
popularity,  the  Jesuits  found  Freemasonry  an  institution 
they  would  have  to  use  or  destroy.  Finding  it  impossible 
to  use  it,  they  concluded  to  destroy  it ;  and  to  do  so,  they 
adopted  the  plan  of  inventing  and  propagating  rites  and 
high  degrees  calculated  to  confuse  a  correct  knowledge  of 
its  history,  and  create  discords  and  dissatisfaction  among 
its  members.  As  creators  of  these  rites  and  degrees,  they 
freely,  through  their  partisans  and  emissaries,  disposed  of 
patents  and  constitutions  which  empowered  the  holders 
not  only  to  organize  bodies  of  men  whom  they  might 
initiate  into  these  degrees,  but  to  sell  to  any  person  so 
initiated  other  patents  and  constitutions  empowering  them 
to  do  the  same.  In  this  manner  the  very  object  desired 
by  these  Jesuitical  inventors  was  attained  in  a  multiplied 
result ;  for  a  rivalry  sprang  up  between  these  opposite 
authorities,  who  soon  found  that  the  best  recommendation 
for  their  wares  was  an  increase  in  their  variety;  and  to 
give  such  variety  it  was  necessary  to  fabricate  additional 
degrees  and  additional  rites,  which  they  might  offer,  as 
something  entirely  new,  to  satisfy  the  eager  appetite  ex- 
hibited, and  which  they  appeased  in  restaurants  and  tav- 
erns, and  wherever  they  could  find  a  purchaser.  By  ref- 
erence to  our  history  of  Freemasonry  in  France  about  this 
time,  (1736  to  1772,)  the  reader  will  perceive  how  com- 
pletely the  object  desired  by  the  Jesuits  was  effected. 
"Confusion  worse  confounded"  reigned  among  the  Fra- 
ternity— false  titles,  antedated  constitutions,  charges  of 
fraud  well  sustained,  and  even  exhibitions  of  violence, 


218  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

characterized  the  Masonic  institution,  and  the  civil  gov- 
ernment had  to  interfere  to  prevent  worse  results.  It  was 
during  this  period  that  there  might  he  seen  systems  called 
Masonic  and  new  degrees  bursting  almost  daily  into  the 
light — systems  incoherent,  crude,  and  unfledged,  having 
nothing  to  recommend  them  save  their  very  dreamy  or 
mystical  tendency — the  work  of  fabricators,  who  cared  for 
no  vow  or  obligation,  but  sought  only  to  dispose  of  their 
trumpery  and  valueless  commodities. 

These  combinations,  the  work  of  such  impostors  and 
political  hucksters,  produced,  in  about  twenty  years,  such 
a  result  of  doubt  and  uncertainty,  that  scarcely  any  one 
could  determine  which  of  the  numerous  pretending  bodies 
was  the  true  or  legitimate  Masonic  authority  in  France. 
Yet,  notwithstanding  the  confusion  they  had  thus  created, 
the  Jesuits  had  accomplished  but  one  of  their  designs,  viz., 
denaturalizing  and  bringing  into  disrepute  the  Masonic 
institution.  Having  succeeded,  as  they  believed,  in  de- 
stroying it  in  one  form,  they  were  determined  to  use  it 
in  another. 

With  this  determination  they  arranged  the  system  styled 
"Clerkship  of  the  Templars,"  an  amalgamation  of  the 
different  histories,  events,  and  characteristics  of  the  cru- 
sades, mixed  with  the  reveries  of  the  alchemists.  In  this 
combination  Catholicism  governed  all,  and  the  whole  fab- 
rication moved  upon  wrheels  representing  the  great  object 
for  which  the  "Society  of  Jesus"  was  organized.  The 
emissaries,  De  Bonneville,  in  France,  and  Professor  Harck, 
in  Germany,  were  immediately  engaged  in  the  dissemina- 
tion of  this  system;  but,  in  consequence  of  the  very  condi- 
tion of  disrepute  then  enjoyed  by  Masonry  in  that  country, 
the  emissary  for  France  had  little  if  any  success. 

With  their  knowledge  of  the  human  heart,  the  Jesuits 
brought  into  this  system  a  series  of  inferior  degrees  proper 
to  engage  the  curiosity  of  the  neophyte,  and  assure  them- 


ORIGIN   OF   ALL   THE    RITES   FOR   HIGH   DEGREES.          219 

selves  of  his  unlimited  obedience.  Beyond  all  else,  this 
condition  of  unlimited  obedience  was  always  exacted  be- 
fore the  advancement  promised  to  the  new  revelations  of 
yet  higher  degrees  was  accorded.  In  this  manner  were 
the  brethren  decoyed  away  from  the  pure  and  simple  doc- 
trine of  English  Freemasonry,  to  throw  their  aid  and  in 
fluence  into  the  object  of  enlarging  Jesuitical  influence,  by 
the  hope  of  gaining  ten  degrees  of  exaltation  above  their 
fellows.  In  order  further  to  assure  themselves  of  the  faith 
of  their  adepts,  and  to  strike  deeper  the  roots  of  that 
faith  into  the  soil  of  their  spirits,  the  doctrine  of  obedience  to 
unknown  superiors  was  advanced,  and  the  chiefs  directed  to 
communicate  the  real  plans  to  none  but  those  whom  they 
should  initiate  into  the  last  and  highest  degree  of  the 
system. 

As  the  monastic  institution  ami  ecclesiastic  tendency 
of  this  false  Masonry  could  not  adapt  itself  to  the  feelings 
of  all  whom  they  desired  to  influence,  they  next  resolved 
to  create  another  association,  much  more  extended,  and 
which  would  be  susceptible  of  establishment  in  Protestant 
countries.  The  project  succeeded  better  than  any  or  ail 
the  others.  It  was  this  system  styled  "  Strict  Observance" 
that,  originating,  like  all  the  others  created  by  the  Jesuits, 
in  their  College  of  Clermont  at  Paris,  was  transported  to 
Germany,  and  there  propagated  by  the  Baron  of  Ilnnd, 
and  other  emissaries,  instruments  of  the  Jesuits,  but  igno- 
rant of  being  such.  The  fundamental  belief  connected 
with  this  system,  as  entertained  by  those  propagators,  was, 
that  "the  Masonic  fraternity  is  nothing  but  a  continuation 
of  the  Order  of  Knights  Templar,  propagated  by  members 
of  this  Order  while  sheltered  from  persecution  in  the  fast- 
nesses of  Scotland."  Otherwise  the  propagators  of  this 
system  held  forth  to  and  indulged  their  proselytes  in  the 
dangerous  hope  of  gaining  possession  of  the  riches  and 
property  oi  the  Order  of  Knights  Templar,  confiscated  by 


220  ^  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

Philip  the  Fair  and  his  abettors,  after  the  execution  of 
Jacques  de  Molay. 

To  have  the  system  correspond,  as  much  as  possible, 
with  its  hierarchical  object,  the  country  over  which  they 
expected  their  Order  to  reign  was  divided  into  nine  prov- 
inces, viz. :  1.  Lower  Germany,  consisting  of  Poland  and 
Prussia;  2.  Auvergne;  3.  Western  France;  4.  Italy  and 
Greece;  5.  Burgundy  and  Switzerland;  6.  Upper  Ger- 
many ;  7.  Austria  and  Lombardy ;  8.  Russia ;  and  9. 
Sweden. 

The  governing  Grand  Lodge  of  the  system  was  estab- 
lished at  Brunswick,  and  was  to  be  ostensibly  directed  by 
the  Duke  of  Brunswick,  but  who  really  was  but  the 
mouth-piece  of  the  "unknown  superiors."  Each  province 
had  its  heermeister,  or  general,  a  provincial  chapter,  many 
priories,  prefectures,  an<J  commanderies — names  and  estab- 
lishments belonging  to  the  Ancient  Order  of  Knights 
Templar;  while  the  three  degrees  of  St.  John  uniformly 
comprised  the  Freemasonry,  properly  so  called,  of  the 
lodges  governed  by  a  Meister  vom  Stuhl,  or  Worshipful 
Master,  and  six  officers. 

The  system  of  "  Strict  Observance  "  was  so  called  because 
of  the  severe  monastic  subordination  which  it  enjoined,  in 
contradistinction  with  the  liberal  S3Tstem  of  English  origin, 
styled  "Observance  at  Large;"  and,  under  the  notorious 
nonsense  of  alchemy,  mysticism,  and  the  mysteries  of  the 
Hose  Cross,  which  were  by  its  members  professed,  this 
"Strict  Observance"  system  for  a  long  time  hid  the  secret 
intentions  and  objects  of  its,  unknown  chiefs.  In  Ger- 
many, however,  both  clerical  and  secular  systems  remained 
under  secret  direction  until  1772,  when  dissatisfaction  and 
dissensions  having  taken  place,  the  King  of  Prussia  or- 
dered the  union  of  the  two  systems,  and,  after  1767,  the 
clerical  system  had  place  but  in  the  seventh  province,  viz., 
Austria  and  Lombardy. 

The  excessive  extravagance  of  enthusiasm  with  which 


ORIGIN   OF   ALL   THE   RITES   FOR   HIGH   DEGREES.          221 

the  Templar  system  was  regarded  speedily  abated,  as  soon 
as  the  unknown  superiors  were  identified.  Suspicion  en- 
gendered investigation,  and  investigation  elicited  the  fact 
that  these  "unknown  superiors"  were  no  other  than  lead- 
ing Jesuits  and  partisans  of  the  Stuart  interest.  Up  to 
this  time  the  Baron  of  Hund  himself  seems  to  have  been 
a  victim  of  the  general  deception. 

Thereafter  the  Jesuits,  unmasked  in  the  persons  of  their 
chiefs,  and  deceived  in  their  hopes,  appear  to  have  retired 
'from  the  field;  for  we  hear  no  more  about  the  "unknown 
superiors."  It  was  then  that  the  investigation  began  to 
be  seriously  directed  to  the  consideration  of  how  far  this 
"  Strict  Observance  "  system  departed  from  the  spirit  and 
principles  of  the  lodges  working  under  the  system  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  England,  and  which  latter  had  been  con- 
temptuously represented  by  the  Jesuits  as  the  bastard 
offspring  of  the  working  corporations  of  the  middle  ages. 
This  investigation  was  not  confined  to  Germany,  but  ex- 
tended throughout  the  country  occupied  by  the  Templar 
systems.  The  general  inquiry  seemed  to  be  whether  these 
systems  were  charged  with  any  abstract  science,  or  any 
doctrines  of  a  purely  moral  or  secret  character,  relating  to 
art,  history,  or  to  the  sciences  generally.  The  French 
Templar  lodges  met  at  Lyons,  in  1778,  in  a  convent,  and 
undertook  the  total  revision  of  their  system,  from  which 
resulted  a*  new  plan  of  constitution.  This  advance  move- 
ment gave  an  impulse  to  the  German  lodges,  and  induced 
them,  in  their  turn,  to  examine  the  entire  Templar  system, 
and  to  manifest  a  disposition  to  return  to  the  Masonry  of 
England,  in  case  their  investigation  should  develop  the 
improper  tendencies  of  which  this  hierarchical  system  had 
been  accused. 

The  Duke  Ferdinand  of  Brunswick,  who,  in  1772,  was 
chosen  General  Grand  Master  of  all  the  "  Strict  Observ- 
ance" lodges,  seriously  occupied  himself  with  this  investi- 
gation ;  and,  for  this  purpose,  having  called,  in  1772,  the 


222  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

Congress  of  Kohlo,  and,  in  1775,  that  at  Brunswick,  with- 
out eliciting  any  satisfactory  result,  he  yielded  to  the 
views  expressed  by  many  German  lodges,  and,  in  1782, 
convoked  a  third  congress  at  Wilhelnisbad,  to  which  he 
invited  all  the  Freemasons  of  Europe. 

The  first  assembly  of  this  congress  took  place  on  the 
16th  July,  1782.  All  the  Grand  oflacers  of  all  the  prov- 
inces of  the  Templar  system,  and  delegates  from  all  their 
lodges  were  present,  as  also  many  delegates  of  other  rites 
then  extant  in  Germany  and  France.  After  thirty  sit-* 
tings,  none  of  the  questions  upon  the  origin,  doctrines, 
etc.,1  had  been  resolved  in  a  satisfactory  manner;  when, 
finally,  upon  the  proposition  of  the  French  delegates  of 
the  Templar  system  from  the  province  of  Burgundy,  the 
views  of  the  congress  were  thus  expressed: 

"Modern  Freemasons  are  not  only  not  the  true  success- 
ors of  the  Knights  Templar,  but,  as  worthy  recipients  of 
the  three  symbolic  degrees,  they  can  not  be" 

Notwithstanding  this  decision,  however,  the  assembly 
decided  that  a  lecture,  giving  a  synopsis  of  the  history  of 
the  Templar  Order,  should  be  added  to,  and  incorporated 
with,  the  last  degree  of  symbolic  Freemasonry. 

"We  should  have  remarked  that  the  exterior  organization 
of  the  Templar  system,  which  established  union  and  har- 
mony among  the  parts  of  this  system,  was  worked  with 
care,  and  conformably  to  a  vast  plan.  The  interior  ties, 
founded  upon  the  position  of  the  employes  and  the  pre- 
rogatives of  the  chapters,  composed  a  powerful  band.  The 
whole  might  be  assimilated  to  a  system  of  nerves  extend- 
ing from  a  central  organ  of  life — which,  in  this  case,  was 
the  convent  of  Clermont — to  the  most  distant  periphery  of 
the  organism,  to  communicate  movement  to  all  parts  of 
the  body,  and  to  bring  up  to  a  general  and  common  con- 
science, as  it  were,  the  impressions  received,  and  the  ob- 

1  See  these  questions  in  the  historical  notice  of  Masonic  conventions. 


ORIGIN   OF   ALL   THE   RITES   FOR   HIGH   DEGREES.          223 

serrations  made,  by  each  part,  wherever  situated,  outside 
of  the  great  center. 

After  the  congress  of  Wilhelmsbad  had  changed  the 
Templar  system,  they  baptized  their  modification  of  it  with 
the  name  of  "  Refined  Scottish  Rite,"  a  name  as  improper, 
however,  as  that  which  it  displaced.  At  first,  this  new 
rite  was  not  adopted  but  by  the  lodges  of  the  province  of 
Burgundy,  and  it  was  not  until  after  the  lapse  of  some 
years  that  it  extended  elsewhere.  Many  of  the  German 
operative  lodges,  and  even  several  grand  lodges,  aban- 
doned completely  the  system  of  high  degrees,  and  returned, 
in  great  part,  to  the  simple  forms  of  English  Masonry.  The 
Provincial  Grand  Lodges  of  Frankfort  and  of  "Wetzlar, 
who  created  the  Eclectic  Rite,  of  three  degrees,  were  the 
only  Grand  Lodges  which  radically  adopted  the  reform, 
all  the  other  Grand  Lodges  having  retained  some  frag- 
ments of  the  high  degrees.  In  this  manner,  the  system  of 
"Strict  of  Observance"  or  "  Templar  System,"  transformed 
to  the  "Refined  Scottish  Rite,"  existed  for  a  long  time 
in  Germany  and  France,  under  the  name  of  Scottish  Ma- 
sonry, with  a  more  or  less  number  of  degrees  constituting 
the  rite,  and  there  may  be  found  at  the  present  day 
some  lodges  in  Belgium  still  practicing  it. 

In  France,  neither  the  National  Grand  Lodge  nor  the 
Grand  Orient  were  successful  in  striving  with  the  high 
degrees,  which  they  had  both  anathematized,  seeing  that 
neither  of  these  grand  bodies  practiced  but  the  three  sym- 
bolic degrees.  The  Grand  Lodge  always  remained  faith- 
ful to  its  principles;  but  the  Grand  Orient,  on  the  con- 
trary, sought  connection  with  the  lodges  professing  the 
high  degrees,  and  finally,  in  1786,  arranged  a  rite  of  seven 
degrees,  which  it  called  the  French  Rite,  and  by  means  of 
which  it  hoped,  but  in  vain,  to  suppress  the  other  high 
degree  systems. 

Thus,  as  we  have  shown,  it  resulted  that,  apart  from 
the  two  Templar  systems  created  by  the  Jesuits  for  their 


224  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

own  purposes,  an  infinite  number  of  rites  were  produced, 
for  quite  as  unworthy  purposes,  the  names  of  many  of 
which  will  be  found  at  the  close  of  this  chapter. 

These  rites,  it  is  true,  had  but  a  short  existence.  Most 
of  them  were  changed  after  the  congress  of  Welhelmsbad, 
or  disappeared  during  the  revolution ;  but  they,  neverthe- 
ess,  largely  contributed. to  the  disrepute  into  which  Free- 
masonry had  fallen  in  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  and  the  results  of  which  condition  remain  to  be 
contended  with  to  the  present  day. 

It  is,  however,  but  just  to  mention  here  one  exception 
among  the  crowd  of  extravagant  and  anti-masonic  rites, 
that  of  the  «  Philaletes,"  created  in  1773,  in  the  lodge  of 
"  United  Friends,"  at  Paris,  by  the  'brethren  Savalette  of 
Langes,  Court  of  Gibelin,  and  the  archeologist  Lenoir,  who, 
to  approach  nearer  to  the  English  Rite,  had  abolished  all 
distinctions  of  degrees,1  and  proposed  as  their  object  the 
perfection  of  man,  and  his  nearest  approach  to  the  Great 
Being  from  whom  he  emanated.  It  was  by  these  "  Phila- 
letes "  that  there  were  convoked  at  Paris  the  two  conven- 
tions of  1785  and  1787,  and  at  which  the  founders  just 
named  exhibited  so  remarkably  the  true  philosophy  of 
Masonry. 

Wherever  Masonry  was  introduced  prior  to  1750,  whether 
in  Germany,  Sweden,  Denmark,  Russia,  Prussia,  Poland, 
Turkey,  Italy,  Switzerland,  Spain,  Portugal,  or  America, 
there  was  not  produced  the  slightest  collision,  nor  could 
there  be  so  long  as  the  three  degrees  of  the  English  Rite 
alone  were  practiced,  and  a  unity  of  purpose  in  the  Ma- 
sonic system  by  such  practice  preserved.  But  as  soon  as 
this  unity  was  destroyed  in  France,  in  the  manner  we  have 

1  In  that  celebrated  lodge  the  Nine  Sisters,  founded  in  1776,  and  in 
which  had  been  initiated  Voltaire,  Helvetius,  Lalande,  Court  of  Gibe- 
lin, Benjamin  Franklin,  etc.,  no  desire  has  ever  been  expressed  for  the 
attainment  of  any  degree  above  that  of  Master  Mason.  (See  Masonic 
Oxttodoxy,  by  Ragon,  p.  111.) 


ORIGIN   OF   ALL   THE    RITES   FOR   HIGH    DEGREES.          225 

shown,  by  the  introduction  of  high  degrees,  and  political 
objects  as  well  as  mercenary  tendencies  began  to  charac- 
terize our  beautiful  institution,  the  suspicions  of  the  gov- 
ernments were  aroused,  and  inquiry  provoked  prohibitions 
the  most  severe,  even  under  pain  of  death,  against  assem- 
blies of  Freemasons.1 

Since  the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  the  princi- 
pal rites  created  have  been  the  Ancient  and  Accepted 
Scottish  Rite,  the  Rite  of  Misraim,  and  the  Rite  of  Mem- 
phis. The  origin  and  history  of  these  rites  having  been 
given  in  previous  chapters  of  this  work  devoted  thereto, 
it  is  unnecessary  to  say  any  thing  further  about  them  in 
this  one.  Regarding  some  two  or  three  others,  however, 
as  worthy  of  notice,  we  will  mention  them : 

1.  The  Order  of  Modern  Templars,  constituted  the  4th 
of  November,  1804,  by  virtue  of  an  old  constitution2  found 
in  the  possession  of  a  brother,  and  according  to  which  the 
founders  afterward  pretended  to  be  the  legitimate  succes- 
sors of  the  Knights  of  the  Temple.  This  association  at- 

*lt  is  in  great  part,  if  not  entirely,  to  the  introduction  of  the  high  de- 
grees, whose  history  so  far  we  have  just  recorded,  that  the  numerous 
literary  attacks,  from  which  Freemasonry  has  so  greatly  suffered  during 
the  latter  half  of  the  last  century,  are  due.  The  works  of  Luchet,  of 
Robison,  the  Abbe  Barruel,  Payard,  Cadet-Gassecourt  the  Abbe  Lefranc, 
and  many  others,  would  probably  have  never  seen  the  light,  had  not 
Masonry  become  adulterated  with  objects  as  improper  as  they  were  un- 
suited  to  mix  with  its  principles,  while  preserved  in  the  fervor  and  faith 
of  their  primitive  simplicity.  The  writers  named,  not  being  able  to  dis- 
tinguish the  true  from  the  false,  endeavored  to  involve  all  in  a  common 
ruin,  and  for  a  time  they  were  successful.  "  Ilesurgam"  however,  is 
written  upon  every  page  of  truth  immortal;  and  no  more  fitting  front 
for  the  emblazonment  of  this  glorious  motto  has  ever  been  afforded  than 
that  presented  to-day  by  English  Freemasonry. 

8 This  constitution  was  written  in  Latin,  and  its  object  is  thus  expressed: 
"To  reestablish  the  Order  of  the  true  successors  of  the  Knights  of  the 
Temple,  in  its  primitive  purity,  as  it  had  been  instituted  by  Hugh  de 
Payen,  in  1118,  and  in  accordance  with  the  laws  of  1605,  under  the 
Grand  Mastership  of  Montmorency,  etc." 

15 


226  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

tained  in  France  some  degree  of  stability.  The  brother 
Fabre-Palaprat,  a  distinguished  physician,  became,  under 
the  assumed  name  of  "  Bernard  Raymond,"  the  first  Grand 
Master.  After  his  death,  which  occurred  on  the  1 8th  of 
February  1838,  the  "  Order  of  the  Temple  "  met,  at  a  con- 
vent, in  general  assembly,  and  voted  itself  a  new  constitu- 
tion and  laws;  and,  on  the  13th  of  January,  1841,  the 
members  united  in  the  election  of  Sir  Sidney  Smith  to 
the  ofiice  of  Grand  Master.  He  subsequently  took  the 
title  of  Regent  of  the  Order;  and  this,  so  far  as  we  are 
aware,  was  the  last  manifestation  of  this  last  parody  on 
the  Order  of  Knights  of  the  Temple,  as  in  1843  no  trace 
of  it  could  be  found  in  France.1 

2.  The  "Rite  of  Rigid  Observers,"  created  in  1819,  by 
seven  officers  of  the  Grand  Orient  of  France,2  with  the  ob- 
ject of  bringing  Freemasonry  back  to  its  primitive  purity 
and  simplicity,  by  re-establishing  the  modern  English 

1  It  was  by  members  of  tins  "association"  that  Knight  Templarism, 
as  known  in  America — comprising  the  three  degrees,  viz:  Knight  of  the 
Red  Cross,  Knight  Templar,  and  Knight  of  Malta — was  introduced  into 
the  United  States  in  1808,  and  which  degrees  now  compose  the  highest 
grades  of  the  American  Masonic  system.  Delegates  from  seven  Encamp- 
ments of  Knights  Templar,  and  one  Council  of  Red  Cross — none  of 
which  were  located  south  or  west  of  New  York — organized  in  New  York 
city,  on  the  20th  of  June,  1816,  a  General  Grand  Encampment  for  the 
United  States.  At  this  assembly,  Hon.  De  Witt  Clinton,  of  New  York, 
was  elected  General  Grand  Master,  and  Thomas  Smith  Webb,  Esq.,  of 
Boston,  his  Deputy.  On  account  of  the  conservative  stand  then  takon 
by  the  few  brethren  representing  this  Order  at  that  time  in  America,  it 
has,  during  the  half  a  century  now  drawing  to  its  close,  kept  suitable 
pace  with  the  other  divisions  of  the  American  Masonic  system,  and  at- 
tained to  a  degree  of  popularity  it  would  not,  probably,  if  left  to  stand 
alone,  or  to  stumble  against  those  other  divisions.  This,  and  the  addi- 
tional reason  that  the  American  mind  is  notably  Christian  and  spiritual 
in  its  tendencies  and  aspirations,  will  continue  to  accord  to  the  Order  of 
Knights  Templar,  as  a  Christian  attachment  to  the  Masonic  Institution, 
-the  full  meed  of  value  to  which  it  may  be  entitled. — TRANSLATOR. 

"Renon,  Borie,  Caille,  Delaroche,  Geneux,  Pages,  and  Vassal 


ORIGIN   OF    ALL   THE   RITES   FOR   HIGH   DEGREES.          227 

Rite.  [Notwithstanding  their  position  and  their  talents, 
these  brethren  failed  in  their  project,  for  no  other  reason, 
we  believe,  than  that  they  had  neither  decorations  nor 
pompous  titles  to  otter  to  their  adepts. 

3.  The  "  Rite  of  Unitarian  Masonry,"  adopted  by  the 
National  Grand  Lodge  of  France,  after  its  organization,  in 
1848.  This  lodge,  not  to  wound  the  susceptibility  of  its 
membership,  by  this  title  denominated  the  symbolic  rite 
of  three  degrees.  Notwithstanding  its  tenderness  in  this 
respect,  however,  it  had  no  better  fortune  than  the  preced- 
ing rite,  as  the  National  Grand  Lodge  of  France  expired 
in  1851. 

After  this  succinct  exposition  of  the  history  of  the  prin- 
cipal systems  for  high  degrees,  we  hope  that  the  good 
sense  of  the  brethren,  who  are -yet  partisans  of  these  high 
degrees,  will  induce  them  to  regard  them  as  useless  and 
embarrassing  baggage,  borne  along  in  opposition  to  the 
spirit  of  true  Freemasonry,  and  only  calculated  to  excite 
discord  and  impede  the  march  of  our  humanitarian  insti- 
tution. We  hope  that  they  will  abandon  these  wrorks  of 
a  foolish  and  ambitious  imagination,  and  degrading  and 
mercenary  spirit  of  speculation,  and  return  or  confine 
themselves  to  the  practice  of  the  true  Masonic  rite,  that 
of  three  symbolic  degrees,  the  only  primitive  rite  of  the 
Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons  of  England. 

We  shall  add,  in  closing  this  chapter,  that  Brother 
Ragon  has  published,  in  his  " Manual  of  Initiations" — we 
presume  to  exhibit  the  tendency  to  aberration  of  the  human 
mind — the  names  of  seventy-five  different  styles  of  Ma- 
sonry, fifty-two  rites  and  thirty-four  orders  called  Masonic, 
twenty-six  androgynous  orders,  six  Masonic  colleges,  and 
more  than  fourteen  hundred  degrees,  while,  in  reality, 
there  has  never  existed  any  other  rite  entitled  to  the  name 
of  Freemasonry  than  the  modern  English  rite  of  three 
symbolic  degrees.  Upon  this  rite,  as  the  stock  of  Free- 
masonry, the  Jesuits  and  partisans  of  the  Stuarts  grafted 


228  GENERAL   HISTORY  OF   FREEMASONRY. 

their  clerical  and  secular  orders  of  chivalry,  which  \ve 
Lave  described;  and  it  is  this  stock  upon  which  has  been 
grafted  every  other  species  of  jugglery  assuming  to  be 
Masonry  which  has  had  place  within  the  last  century. 


NAMES   OP   MASONIC   RITES  EXTANT,  AND  WHERE  PRACTICED. 

Rite  of  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  practiced  by 
nine-tenths  of  all  the  lodges  of  the  globe,  the  same  being 
the  Modern  English  Rite  of  three  symbolic  degrees,  as 
arranged  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  London  in 1717 

Rite  of  Zinendorf,  practiced  by  the  National  Grand  Lodge  cf 
Germany,  at  Berlin,  comprising  seven  degrees,  arranged  in  1767 

Rite  practiced  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Stockholm,  com- 
monly called  the  Swedish  Rite,  or  System  of  Swedenborg, 
comprising  eight  degrees,  and  arranged  in 1773 

Rite  practiced  by  some  lodges  in  Belgium,  called  the  Scotch 

Philosophic  Rite  of  eighteen  degrees,  arranged  in 1776 

Rite  known  as  the  Royal  Arch  or  York  Rite  of  seven  de- 
grees, practiced  in  the  United  States  of  America,  and  the 
higher  degrees  of  which  are  believed  to  have  been  arranged, 
by  Lawrence  Dermott,  in 1777 

Rite  practiced  by  some  lodges  in  Belgium,  known  as  the 
Refined  Scottish  or  Reformed  Ancient  Rite,  arranged  as 
the  successor  of  the  Rite  of  Perfection,  after  the  Congress 
of  Wilhelmsbad,  in 1782 

Rite  practiced  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Frankfort  and  Ham- 
burg, known  as  the  Eclectic  Rite,  comprising  three  degrees, 
arranged,  in  conformity  with  the  opinion  expressed  by  the 
Congress  at  Wilhelmsbad,  in  1782,  by  Baron  Knigge,  in  1733 

Rite  practiced  by  the  Grand  Orient  of  France,  commonly 
called  the  Modern  French  Rite,  comprising  seven  degrees, 
and  which  was  arranged  by  a  commission  of  that  body  as 
a  basis  of  compromise  between  it  and  the  "  General  Grand 
Chapter  of  the  Rite  of  Perfection,"  organized,  in  1783,  as 
the  successors'  of  the  "  Grand  Council  of  Emperors  of  the 
East  and  West,  Sovereign  Prince  Masons,"  and  adopted  in  1786 


ORIGIN   OP   ALL   THE   RITES   FOR  HIGH   DEGREES.          229 

Rite  practiced  by  the  Grand  Royal  York  Lodge  of  Berlin, 
known  as  Fessler's  Rite,  comprising  three  degrees  and  a 
chapter,  arranged  in 1796 

Kite  of  the  Grand  Lodge  at  the  Three  Globes,  in  Berlin, 
comprising  twenty-five  degrees,  as  arranged  to  admit,  in 
1760,  the  high  degrees  then  prevalent,  but  which  was 
reduced  to  ten  degrees  in 1798 

Rite  known  as  the  Ancient  and  Accepted  Scottish,  practiced 
in  various  countries  and  by  all  Supreme  Councils,  com- 
prising thirty-three  degrees.  It  is  believed  to  have  been 
extended  from  the  Rite  of  Perfection  of  twenty-five  de- 
grees to  its  present  number,  in  Charleston,  S.  C.,  in  1802, 
and  mainly  arranged,  as  it  now  exists  in  France  and  else- 
where, in 1804 

Rite  known  as  the  Order  of  Modern  Templars,  or  Knights 
Templar,  comprising  three  degrees,  practiced  in  the  United 
States  of  America  and  Great  Britain.      As  the  successor 
of  the  secular  Templars  of  the  Jesuit  system  of  Strict 
Observance,  this  rite  was  arranged  in  France  in 1804 

Rite  of  Misraim,  practiced  in  Paris,  comprising  ninety  de- 
grees, invented  by  Lechangeur,  of  Milan,  in  1806,  and 
introduced  into  France  by  Mark  and  Michael  Bedar- 
ride,  in 1815 

Rite  of  Memphis,  now  practiced  only  in  the  United  States  of 
America,  comprising  ninety-five  degrees,  the  same  being 
an  extension  and  improvement  of  the  last-named  rite, 
made  by  Marconis  de  Negre,  in 1838 

RITES,   CALLED   MASONIC,  WHICH    HAVE  BECOME   EXTINCT,  OB 

WHICH  HAVE  BECOME  ABSORBED  INTO  SOME  EXISTING  RlTE. 

Rite  of  Noah,  arranged  as  the  Order  of  the  Noahchites  in  .1735 

Scottish  or  Jacobin  Rite  of  Ramsay,  first  known  in 1736 

Rite  of  Herodom  of  Kilwinning,  first  practiced  in 1740 

Rite  or  Order  of  Fidelity,  by  Chambonet   1742 

Rite  or  Order  of  the  Anchor 1744 

Rite  of  the  Areopagists 1746 

Scottish  Jacobin  Rite,  created  by  the  Pretender,  in 1747 

Rite  of  the  Elect  of  Truth,  at  Rennes,  in 1748 


230  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

Rite  of  the  Old  Daughter-in-law,  by  Lockhart,  an  emissary 
of  the  Jesuits,  in ,  1749  or  1750 

Rite  of  the  Illuminati  of  Stockholm,  founded  in  1621,  and 

resuscitated  in  France,  under  Masonic  forms,  in 1750 

Rite  or  Order  of  Prussian  Knights 1756 

Rite  of  the  Clerks  of  Strict  Observance,  or  clerical  Templar 
system,  founded  by  the  Jesuits,  and  united,  in  1776,  with 
the  Secular  Templars,  also  a  creation  of  the  Jesuits 1756 

Rite  of  Knights  of  the  East,  by  Pirlet 1757 

Rite  of  the  Emperors  of  the  East  and  West,  Sovereign  Prince 
Masons.  This  was  the  Rite  of  Herodom  extended  to  the 
Rite  of  Perfection  of  twenty-five  degrees,  by  the  Jesuits, 
and  propagated  by  Pirlet  about 1758 

Rite  of  Strict  Observance,  or  modified  Templar  system  of 
seven  degrees,  known  as  the  Secular  Templars 1760 

Rite  of  the  African  Architects 1762 

Between  1762  and  1766  there  were  introduced  five  rites, 
named  respectively  the  Asiatics,  the  Patients,  the  Seekers, 
the  Princes  of  Death,  and  the  Reformed  of  Dresden. 

Rite  of  the  Flaming  Star,  founded  by  Baron  Schudy,  an 
emissary  of  the  Jesuits,  in 1766 

Rite  of  the  Rose  Cross,  founded  by  Valentine  Andrea  in 
1616,  and  resuscitated,  under  Masonic  forms,  in 1767 

Rite  of  the  Knights  of  the  Holy  City,  by  an  emissary  of  the 
Jesuits,  in 1768 

Rite  of  the  Elected  Cowans,  by  Martinez  Paschalis 1768 

Rite  of  the  Black  Brethren 1770 

Scandinavian  Rite,  and  the  Hermitic  Rite,  in 1772 

Rite  of  the  Philalethes,  founded  in  Paris  by  Lavalette  de 
Langes,  Court  de  Gebelin.  the  Prince  of  Hesse,  etc 1773 

Rite  of  the  Illuminati  of  Bavaria,  by  Professor  Weisshaupt.  1776 

Rite  of  the  Independents,  and  Rite  of  the  Perfect  Initiates 
of  Egypt 1776 

Rite  of  the  Illuminati  of  Avignon,  being  the  system  of  Swe- 

denborg,  in 1779 

Rite  of  the  Philadelphians  of  Narbonne,  a  rite  of  ten  degrees, 
founded  by  some  pretended  superior  officers,  major  and 
minor,  of  "  the  Order  of  Free  and  Accepted  Masons  " 1780 

Rite  of  the  Martiiiists,  founded  by  St.  Martin 1780 


ORIGIN    OF   ALL   THE   RITES   FOR   HIGH   DEGREES,          231 

Rite  of  the  Sublime  Masters  of  the  Circle  of  Light ....  1780 

Rite  of  Knights  and  Nymphs  of  the  Rose  (one  degree) ....  1781 

Rite  of  the  Masons  of  the  Desert 1781 

Egyptian  Rite,  by  Cagliostro * 1781 

Rite  of  Universal  Harmony,  by  Dr.  Mesmer 1782 

Rito  of  the  Illuminati  of  the  Zodiac 1783 

Rite  of  Zoroaster 1783 

Rite  of  High  Egyptian  Masonry  (adoptive),  by  Cagliostro..  1784 

Rite  of  Adonhiramite  Masonry 1787 

Rite  of  the  Holy  Order  of  the  Sophists,  by  Cuvelier  of 

Troves 1801 

Rite  or  Order  of  Modern  Templars,  founded  by  Drs.  Ledru 

and  Fabre-Palaprat1 1804 

Rite  or  Order  of  Mercy 1807 

Rite  or  Order  of  Knights  of  Christ,  founded  by  E.  de  Nunez.  1809 
Rite  or  Order  of  French  Noachides,  or  Napoleonic  Masonry.  1816 
Rite  of  Rigid  Observers,  founded  by  some  officers  of  the 

Grand  Orient  in 1819 

Persian  Philosophic  Rite,  created  in  Erzrum  in  1818,  and 

introduced  in  France  in 1819 

1This  rite  is  not  extinct  in  Great  Britain  and  United  States  of  America, 
it  being,  in  those  countries,  fitted  on  to  the  York  Kite,  as  high  degrees. 


DOCUMENTARY  AND  HISTORICAL  EVIDENCE 

BEARING    DIRECTLY    UPON    THE 

ORIGIN  AND  GENERAL  HISTORY  OF  FREEMASONRY, 

TOGETHER   WITH 

INDICATIONS  OF  THE  CAUSES  FOR  THE  DIVERSITY  OF  OPINIONS 
WHICH  EXIST  AS  TO  SUCH  ORIGIN. 


I. — DOCUMENTARY  EVIDENCE. 

FOR  all  which  relates  to  the  foundation  of  the  Roman 
Colleges  of  Builders,  (collegia  fabrorum,)  created  by  Numa 
Pompilius,  in  the  year  715  B.  C.,  their  constitution  and 
the  modifications  made  in  their  privileges  after  the  fall  of 
the  Roman  Republic — particularly  in  the  second  century 
of  the  Christian  era,  under  the  emperors  Trajan  and 
Adrian — consult  the  following  works,  viz. : 

1. — The  Laws  of  the  Twelve  Tables,  instituted  in  the 
year  451  B.  C.  The  eighth  of  these  tables  refers  particu- 
larly to  those  colleges. 

2.— The  Body  of  Roman  Rights. 

3. — First  and  second  Epistles  of  Cicero  to  his  brother 
Quintus. 

4. — Architecture  by  Vitruvius.  This  work  has  been 
often  translated.1 

JIn    the   edition   of  Anderson's  Constitution    for   1725,  Vitruvius   is 
stated  to  be,  in  the  year  29  B.  C.,  the  representative  of  Cesar  Augustus 
in  the  corporations  of  Builders. 
(232) 


DOCUMENTARY   AND    HISTORICAL   EVIDENCE.  2C3 

5. — History  of  Architecture.    By  Schoell.    Yols.  1  and  2. 

6. — Follion.     By  De  Bugny. 

As  containing  the  text  of  many  historic  documents,  as 
also  the  history  and  doctrines  of  the  Masonic  institution, 
consult  the  following  works,  viz. : 

7. — The  Book  of  Constitutions.  By  Dr.  James  Ander- 
son. First  published  in  1723,  and  subsequently  to  the 
extent  of  five  separate  editions. 

8. — The  History  of  Freemasonry,  Drawn  from  Authen- 
tic Sources  of  Information.  By  Alexander  Laurie.  Lon- 
don :  1804. 

9. — Illustrations  of  Freemasonry.  By  William  Preston. 
London  :  1772  and  1812. 

10. — The  Three  Oldest  Documents  of  the  Fraternity  of 
Freemasons.  By  K.  C.  F.  Erause. 

11. — The  Three  Oldest  Historical  Documents  of  the 
Fraternity  of  Freemasons  of  Germany.  By  Professor 
Heldmann. 

12. — History  of  Freemasonry.  By  Professor  Bobrick. 
Zurich. 

13. — The  Actual  Condition  of  Freemasonry  Discovered. 
By  De  Hammer. 

14. — Encyclopedia  of  Freemasonry.  ByLenning.  Leip- 
sic. 

15. — Memoirs  of  the  Architecture  of  the  Middle  Ages. 
By  Widdekind. 

16. — The  German  Colonies  and  Division  of  Lands  in  the 
Western  Roman  Provinces.  By  Gaup.  1844. 

17. — Handbook  of  the  Different  Masonic  Symbols.  By 
Dr.  Schauberg.  Zurich  :  1861. 

18. — History  of  Freemasonry.  By  Kloss.  Frankfort: 
1861. 

19. — Freemasonry,  its  Origin,  Development,  etc.  By 
Hanau.  1862. 

20. — History  of  Freemasonry,  from  its  Origin  to  the 
Present  Day.  Leipsic:  1862. 


234  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

/ 

21. — History  of  Freemasonry.  By  J.  G.  Findel.  Leipsic : 
1863.1 

In  addition  to  the  works  named,  we  find  some  valuable 
teachings  in  the  following  books,  the  productions  of  au- 
thors who,  as  they  have  themselves  informed  ns,  are  not 
Freemasons,  and  whose  opinions,  on  that  account,  should 
bo  of  more  weight,  as  they  must  be  disinterested  writers 
upon  the  subject  of  Freemasonry: 

22. — The  Monumental  Art.  By  Baptissier.  Paris.  (See 
pp.  466,  469.) 

23.— History  of  the  Cathedral  of  Cologne.  By  J.  Bois- 
gerre.  Paris. 

24. — General  History  of  Architecture.  By  Daniel  Ramee. 
Paris :  1843.  (See  vol.  2,  p.  234.) 

These  three  authors,  who  are  architects,  unite  in  recog- 
nizing the  fact  that  it  is  to  the  Freemasons  of  the  middle 
ages  we  are  indebted  for  all  the  monuments  erected  during 
that  period. 


II. — HISTORICAL  EVIDENCE. — (Chronologically  arranged) 

A.  D.  52. — The  corporations  of  Constructors  are  estab- 
lished at  this  time  in  Great  Britain.  This  fact  is  proven 
by  the  inscription  upon  a  tubular  stone  found  at  Chichester 
in  1725,  and  whereon  was  chronicled  the  erection  at  that 
place  of  a  temple  to  Neptune,  and  another  to  Minerva. 
(See  the  London  Freemason's  Magazine  for  1862.) 

A.  D.  290. — The  constitution  or  ancient  privileges  ac- 
corded by  £Tuma  Pompilius  to  the  colleges  of  Constructors, 
and  which  were  considerably  restricted  and  diminished 
since  their  primitive  concession,  were  this  year  renewed, 
fully  and  without  any  restriction,  by  Carausius,  commander 
of  the  Roman  fleet,  who,  after  possessing  himself  of  Great 

1From  No.  10  to  No.  21,  inclusive,  the  worka  named  are  in  the  Ger- 
man language. 


DOCUMENTARY   AND    HISTORICAL   EVIDENCE.  235 

Britain,  and  declaring  his  independence  of  Rome,  in  287, 
had  taken  the  title  of  emperor.  By  this  favor,  accorded 
to  the  Builders,  he  sought  to  assure  himself  of  the  assist- 
ance of  that  association,  then  the  most  powerful  in  the 
country. 

The  architect  Alhanus,  originally  a  pagan,  but  converted 
to  Christianity, was  named  hy  Carausius,  Inspector  of  the 
Masonic  Corporations  of  Great  Britain.  Two  years  after- 
ward he  was  beheaded  by  his  protector  for  having  preached 
the  doctrine  of  Christ.  He  was  the  first  martyr  in  Britain, 
and  he  is,  according  to  authentic  documents,  ranked  first 
on  the  historical  list  of  the  inspectors  of  Freemasonry  in 
Britain.  It  was  to  these  inspectors  that  subsequently  was 
given  the  name  of  Grand  Masters. 

A.  D.  296. — After  the  death  of  Carausius,  which  took 
place  in  295,  Constantius  Chlorus,  who  succeeded  him, 
chose  for  the  place  of  his  residence  the  city  of  York, 
(Eboracum,)  where  he  found  the  most  important  lodges  or 
colleges  of  Builders  in  Britain. 

From  A.  D.  350  to  430.— During  this  period  the  first 
corporations  of  Artists  and  Operatives  were  instituted, 
with  particular  rules  and  regulations,  out  of  the  remains 
of  the  general  association,  dissolved  after  the  retreat  of 
the  Romans  in  426.  These  statutes,  of  which  many  libra- 
ries in  France  possess  manuscript  copies,  evince,  with  more 
or  less  distinctness,  the  marks  of  the  old  association,  as 
well  in  the  connection  of  their  humanitarian  principles  as 
in  their  secrets  of  art. 

A.  D.  557. — In  this  year  Austin,  an  architect  and  Bene- 
dictine priest,  was  nominated  to  the  dignity  of  Grand 
Inspector  of  the  Masonic  Fraternities.  It  was  by  this 
priest  that  the  Anglo-Saxon  kings  were  converted  to 
Christianity.  He  died  in  610,  and  was  canonized  under 
the  name  of  St.  Augustine. 

A.  D.  614. — Pope  Boniface  IY  conferred,  by  diploma, 
upon  the  Masonic  corporations  the  exclusive  privilege  of 


236         GENERAL  HISTORY  OF  FREEMASONRY. 

erecting  all  religious  buildings  and  monuments,  and,  by 
the  same  document,  made  them  free  from  all  local,  royal, 
or  municipal  statutes,  taxes,  etc. 

A.  D.  620. — During  the  international  and  civil  wars, 
which  had  paralyzed  their  development,  the  Masonic  cor- 
porations sought  refuge  in  the  monasteries,  which  thus 
became  the  schools  of  architecture,  and  from  which  sub- 
sequently went  out  the  most  celebrated  architects,  among 
whom  may  be  named  St.  Aloysius,  bishop  of  Noyen  (659), 
St.  Ferol,  of  Limoges,  Dalmac,  bishop  of  Rhodes,  Agricola 
of  Chalons  (680  and  700). 

A.  D.  680. — In  this  year  the  King  of  Mersey  nominated 
Bennet,  Abbot  of  Wirral,  to  the  dignity  of  Inspector  Gen- 
eral and  Superintendent  of  Freemasonry. 

From  A.  D.  700  to  900. — The  Anglo-Saxon  documents, 
emanating  directly  from  the  Masonic  Fraternity,  during 
this  period,  owing  to  the  continual  wars  and  pillagings, 
in  great  part  disappeared  or  were  destroyed.  A  large 
portion  of  what  were  saved  became,  possibly,  the  property 
of  the  lodges  in  London,  and,  in  1720,  were  nearly  all 
burned  by  brethren  of  these  lodges,  in  the  belief  that  it  was 
improper  to  have  the  information  they  contained  dissemi- 
nated by  publication  in  the  work  of  Dr.  Anderson.  In 
some  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  documents  which  exist  in  the 
libraries  of  England,  the  Masonic  fraternities  are  some- 
times designated  as  "  Freemasons." 

A.  D.  850.— The  Saxon  king,  Ethelwolf,  promotes  the 
priest-architect,  St.  Svvithin,  to  the  directorship  of  the 
Freemasons,  the  assemblies  of  whom  were  much  inter- 
rupted during  this  century. 

A.  D.  900.— The  successor  of  Alfred  Edward,  King  of 
Mersey,  named,  as  grand  inspectors  of  the  Fraternity,  his 
son  Ethelward  and  his  brother-in-law  Ethred,  both  having 
become,  through  attendance  in  the  schools  of  the  Free- 
masons, practical  architects. 

A.  D.  925. — All  the  Masonic  lodges  of  Great  Britain 


DOCUMENTARY   AND   HISTORICAL   EVIDENCE.  237 

were  this  year  convoked  in  a  congress  by  the  king,  Ath- 
elstan,  grandson  qf  Alfred  the  Great,  who  had  been 
prompted  thereto  by  some  priest-architects.  The  object 
of  this  assembly  was  to  reconstitute  the  Fraternity,  accord- 
ing to  the  laws  and  written  documents  saved  in  the  con- 
vents from  destruction  during  the  wars,  and  afterward 
disseminated  through  the  country,  divided,  as  it  had  been 
during  five  hundred  years,  into  seven  kingdoms.  This 
assembly  discussed  and  accepted  the  constitution  sub- 
mitted to  it  by  Edwin,  son  of  King  Athelstan,  and  the 
city  of  York  was  chosen  for  the  future  seat  of  the  Grand 
Mastership. 

A.  D.  926. — In  this  year  the  charter  of  York,  adopted 
at  the  assembly  of  925,  was  promulgated,  and  this  charter 
from  this  time  became  the  basis  of  all  Masonic  constitu- 
tions. Prince  Edwin  is  nominated  to  the  dignity  of  Grand 
Master.  (See  the  text  of  this  charter,  suppeto.) 

A.  D.  960.— The  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  St.  Dun- 
stan,  is  named  Grand  Master  of  the  Fraternity. 

A.  D.  1040.— Edward  the  Confessor,  King  of  England, 
declares  himself  the  protector  of  Freemasons,  and  names 
Leofrick,  Count  of  Coventry,  as  his  substitute,  and,  by 
his  intervention,  reestablishes  the  Abbey  of  Westminster. 

A.  D.  1066. — Nomination  of  the  Count  of  Arundel, 
Roger  of  Montgomery,  to  the  Grand  Mastership. 

A.  D.  1100.— King  Henry  IV,  of  England,  accepts  the 
Grand  Mastership  of  the  Fraternity. 

A.  D.  1145. — The  Archbishop  of  Rouen  publicly  blesses 
the  Freemasons  assembled  at  Rouen,  who  came  from 
upper  Normandy  at  the  call  of  those  who  were  engaged 
in  the  construction  of  the  cathedral  of  Chartres,  and  who 
desired  their  help  to  more  speedily  complete  that  work. 
These  brethren  made  a  triumphal  entry  into  the  city, 
accompanied  by  the  brethren  of  neighboring  corporations, 
particularly  those  of  Caen  and  Bayeux.  (See  History  of 
France.  By  Henry  Martin.  Vol.  2.) 


238  GENERAL   HISTORY  OF   FREEMASONRY. 

A.  D.  1155. — Richard  Coeur  de  Leon,  Grand  Master  of 
the  Knights  of  the  Temple,  is  nominated  to  the  Grand 
Mastership  of  the  Masonic  Fraternity  of  Great  Britain. 

A.  D.  1185.— Gilbert  of  Clare,  Marquis  of  Pembroke, 
is  nominated  Grand  Master. 

A.  I).  1199. — It  was  under  the  Grand  Mastership  and 
direction  of  Colechurch,  Chaplain  to  King  John,  that  the 
work  on  the  first  London  bridge  was  begun,  and  finished 
under  the  direction  of  his  successor,  William  Allemain, 
in  1212. 

A.  D.  1250. — The  Grand  Lodge  of  Cologne  is  instituted. 
The  master  of  this  lodge,  and  director  of  the  work  on  the 
cathedral  of  this  city,  is  regarded  and  obeyed  as  the  mas- 
ter of  all  the  Freemasons  of  Germany. 

A.  D.  1275. — A  Masonic  congress  is  convoked  by  Erwin 
of  Steinbach,  with  the  object  of  concerting  measures  to 
continue  the  work,  which  for  a  long  time  was  interrupted, 
on  the  cathedral  of  Strasburg.  This  assembly  organized 
itself  into  a  Grand  Lodge,  (Ilaupt-hlitte^)  and  nominated 
Erwin  architeet-m-chief  of  the  work,  and  chair-master, 
(Mtister  vom  StuhL) 

A.  D.  1277. — Pope  Nicholas  III  confirms,  by  diplomas 
in  favor  of  the  Masonic  corporations,  the  monopoly  ac- 
corded to  them  by  Pope  Boniface  IV,  in  the  year  614. 

A.  D.  1314. — Documents,  the  genuineness  of  which  has 
not  been  established,  assert  that  in  this  }'ear  Robert  Brnce, 
King  of  Scotland,  founded  the  Order  of  Ilarodom  of  Kil- 
winning,  and  also  elevated  to  the  rank  of  a  Grand  Lodge 
of  Ilarodom  of  Kilwinning  the  lodge  founded  in  1150,  at 
the  time  of  the  erection  of  the  Abbey  of  Kilwinning. 

A.  1).  1334. — Pope  Benedict  II  confirms,  by  diploma, 
to  the  corporations  their  exclusive  privileges  for  the  con- 
struction of  religious  edifices. 

A.  D.  1358.— Under  Edward  III  the  charter  of  York 
of  926  is  submitted  to  revision.  In  an  appendix  to  this 
charter,  which  contains  only  some  new  regulations  re- 


DOCUMENTARY   AND    HISTORICAL   EVIDENCE.  239 

lating  to  the  rights  and  emoluments  accruing  to  Grand 
Masters,  there  is  prescribed  that,  in  future,  at  the  recep- 
tion of  a  brother,  the  constitution  and  old  instructions 
shall  he  read  to  him  by  the  master  of  the  lodge.  A  char- 
ter in  verse,  written  upon  parchment,  and  bearing  the 
title,  "Hie  incipient  const  it  iitiones  artis  geometries  secandum 
jEuclidem" — (Here  begin  the  constitutions  of  the  art  of 
Geometry,  according  to  Euclid) — has  been  found  in  the 
British  Museum  by  an  antiquary  named  J.  0.  Ilalliwell, 
and  published  by  him  in  1810,  under  the  title  of  "The 
Early  History  of  Freemasonry  in  England,"  and  trans- 
lated into  German  by  Brother  Afher,  of  Hamburg,  in  1842. 
This  document,  submitted  to  the  examination  of  experts, 
has  been  recognized,  from  its  favorable  comparison  with 
the  statutes  of  the  parliament  of  1425,  as  having  been 
produced  in  the  latter  part  of  the  fourteenth  century,  and, 
consequently,  may  be  considered  as  based  upon  the  charter 
of  Edward  III. 

A.  D.  1360. — At  this  time  Germany  had  five  grand 
lodges :  Cologne,  Strasburg,  Berne,  Vienna,  and  Madge- 
burg,  upon  which  were  dependent  the  local  lodges  of 
France,  Belgium,  Hesse,  Swabia,  Thuringia,  Switzerland, 
Franconia,  Bavaria,  Austria,  Hungary,  and  Styria. 

A.  D.  1425.— The  English  Parliament  passed  a  bill  this 
year  suppressing  the  assemblies  of  Freemasons.  The  Gen- 
eral Assembly  which,  notwithstanding,  took  place  at  York 
in  1427,  protested  against  this  bill,  and  annulled  its  effect. 
The  manuscript  register  in  the  Latin  language,  containing 
all  the  names  of  the  Master  Masons  who  signed  this  pro- 
test, is  to  be  found  in  the  library  of  Oxford,  and  is  dated 
with  the  year  1429. 

A.  D.  1438. — James  II,  King  of  Scotland,  accords  juris- 
diction to  the  Grand  Masters  of  the  lodges  of  his  kingdom, 
and  authorizes  them  to  establish  special  tribunals  in  the 
principal  cities,  by  which  are  to  be  recognized  the  privi- 
leges of  Freemasons.  For  this  privilege  the  Grand  Mas- 


240  GENERAL    HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

ter  is  charged  with  the  payment  into  the  state  treasury 
of  a  tax  of  four  pounds,  to  be  collected  from  each  Mason 
passing  to  the  degree  of  Master;  and  such  Grand  Master 
is  further  authorized  to  impose  upon  each  new  member  a 
right  of  reception  (fee).  These  two  documents  are  to  be 
found  in  the  Law  Library  in  Edinburgh. 

A.  D.  1439. — James  II,  King  of  Scotland,  nominated 
William  Sinclair  (St.  Glair)  to  the  dignity  of  Grand  Mas- 
ter adjunct  for  the  lodges  of  Scotland. 

A.  D.  1442.— Initiation  of  Henry  VI,  King  of  England, 
into  the  Masonic  Fraternity — an  example  followed  by 
nearly  all  the  gentlemen  of  his  court,  admitted  as  "Ac- 
cepted Masons."  The  number  of  these  latter-named  had 
already  increased  so  as  to  exceed  the  "  Freemasons." 

A.  D.  1459. — A  Masonic  congress  is  held  at  Ratisbonne 
(the  seat  of  the  German  Diet),  devoted  principally  to  the 
discussion  of  the  new  constitution  compiled  at  Strasburg 
in  1452,  which  was  based  upon  the  laws  of  the  English 
and  Italian  corporations,  and  which  constitution  was 
styled  "Statutes  and  Regulations  of  the  Fraternity  of 
Stonecutters  of  Strasburg."  The  text  of  this  constitution 
is  to  be  found  in  many  German  works. 

A.  D.  1464. — Second  congress  of  Freemasons  assembles 
at  Ratisbonne. 

A.  D.  1469. — A  congress  of  Freemasons  assembles  at 
Spire.  (The  object  of  this  congress  will  be  found  in  our 
Historical  Summary  of  Masonic  Conventions,  suppeto.) 

A.  D.  1498. — The  Emperor  Maximilian  sanctions  the 
Masonic  constitution  of  Strasburg,  and  renews  the  ancient 
privileges  accorded  to  the  Freemasons. 

A.  D.  1502. — A  Grand  Lodge  of  Master  Masons  is  held 
at  London  on  the  24th  June  of  this  year.  It  is  presided 
over  by  Henry  VII  of  England,  who  lays  the  corner-stone 
of  Westminster  Chapel,  or  chapel  of  Henry  VII. 

A.  D.  1522.— By  a  decree  of  the  Helvetian  Diet,  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  Zurich  is  dissolved.  This  Grand  Lodge 


DOCUMENTARY    AND    HISTORICAL    EVIDENCE.  241 

had  been  transferred  to  Zurich  from  Berne  in  1502,  after 
the  cathedral  of  the  latter  city  was  finished. 

A.  D.  1539. — By  an  edict,  Francis  I  dissolves  the  ancient 
corporations  of  Freemasons,  because  they  had  vindicated 
their  ancient  rights  and  privileges,  and,  by  meeting  in 
secret,  gave  offense  to  the  clergy. 

A.  D.  1540.— Thomas  Cromwell,  Count  of  Essex,  be- 
headed for  political  offenses,  is  succeeded,  in  the  Grand 
Mastership  of  Freemasons,  by  Lord  Audley. 

A.  D.  15'50. — The  Duke  of  Somerset,  who  succeeded 
Lord  Audley  as  Grand  Master,  is  decapitated — a  victim  of 
his  attachment  to  the  Stuarts. 

A.  D.  1561. — Queen  Elizabeth,  indignant  that  the  Free- 
masons had  not  offered  the  Grand  Mastership  to  her  con- 
sort during  his  life,  on  the  27th  of  December  of  this  year, 
ordered  the  dissolutiou  of  the  Masonic  assembly  which  on 
that  day  commenced  its  semi-annual  meeting,  and  ordered 
the  execution  of  her  edict  to  be  enforced  by  a  detachment 
of  armed  men ;  but,  upon  a  report  having  been  made  to 
her  by  the  commanding  officer  of  the  detachment  express- 
ive of  the  politically  harmless  character  of  the  assembly, 
the  Queen  revoked  her  order.  Subsequently  Queen  Eliza- 
beth became  the  protectress  of  the  Freemasons  of  her 
kingdom,  and  confirmed  their  choice  of  Thomas  Sackville 
for  Grand  Master. 

A.  D.  1563. — Congress  of  Swiss  and  German  Masons 
takes  place  at  Basle. 

A.  D.  1564. — Congress  of  Masons  at  Strasburg. 

A.  D.  1590. — Charter  of  James  IV,  King  of  Scotland, 
granted,  on  the  25th  November  of  this  year,  to  Patrick 
Copland  of  Urdaught,  and  which  conferred  upon  him  the 
right  of  filling  the  office  of  senior  warden  of  Freemasons 
in  the  districts  of  Aberdeen,  Banff,  and  Kinkardine. 

A.  D.  1598. — Acceptance  of  the  new  statutes  for  all  the 
lodges    of   Scotland   in  a  general  assembly,  which   took 
place  at  Edinburgh,  on  the  29th  December. 
16 


242         GENERAL  HISTORY  OF  FREEMASONRY. 

A.  D.  1607. — James  I,  King  of  Great  Britain,  having 
proclaimed  himself  the  protector  of  Freemasonry  in  his 
kingdom,  affords  much  brilliancy  and  importance  to  the 
institution ;  and  the  high  consideration  which  it  enjoys  at 
this  time  is  greatly  augmented  by  the  election  of  the 
celebrated  architect  Inigo  Jones  to  the  dignity  of  Grand 
Master.  The  new  direction  that  he  initiated  in  the  Eng- 
lish lodges  developed  a  spiritual  movement  in  their  Ma- 
sonic life  that  compared  favorably  with  that  of  the  art 
academies  of  Italy.  From  this  time,  also,  the  Accepted 
Masons  greatly  preponderated  over  the  Freemasons. 

A.  IX  1630. — A  document  is  signed  by  ail  the  repre- 
sentatives of  Scottish  lodges,  by  which  are  confirmed  to 
the  successor  of  William  St.  Clair,  Baron  of  Roslin,  the 
dignity  and  hereditary  rights  of  Grand  Master  of  the 
lodge?  of  Scotland,  and  which  were  conferred  upon  the 
head  of  that  family  by  James  II  of  Scotland,  in  1439. 
This  document  may  be  found  in  the  law  library  of  Edin- 
burgh. 

A.  D.  1650. — This  was  the  year  of  mourning  for  all 
true  Freemasons,  it  being  signalized  by  the  political  ten- 
dencies into  which  many  of  the  lodges  were  precipitated 
by  the  decapitation  of  Charles  I.  The  Masons  of  Eng- 
land, and  particularly  those  of  Scotland,  partisans  of  the 
Stuarts,  labored  in  secret  to  reestablish  the  throne  over- 
turned by  Cromwell.  Not  being  able  to  induce  all  the 
Masons  to  become  adherents  of  their  propositions,  they 
invented  two  superior  degrees,  viz.:  Templar  and  Scottish 
Master,  into  the  secrets  of  which  they  initiated  those  who 
were  favorable  to  their  secret  plans. 

A.  D.  1663. — A  general  assembly  of  the  Masons  of  Eng- 
land takes  place  at  York,  and  which  is  presided  over  by 
King  Charles  II.  At  this  assembly  the  king  confirmed 
the  Grand  Master,  Henry  Germain,  Count  of  St.  Albans, 
in  the  dignity  of  his  office,  an4  decorated  him  with  the 
ribbon  of  the  Order  of  the  Bath.  This  assembly  passed  a 


DOCUMENTARY   AND    HISTORICAL   EVIDENCE.  243 

series  of  regulations,  conceived  entirely  with  reference  to 
passing  and  past  political  events,  and  confirmed  the  con- 
tinuance of  the  two  superior  degrees  of  Scottish  Master 
and  Templar. 

A.  D.  1666. — The  great  fire  of  London  destroys  forty 
thousand  dwellings  and  eighty-six  churches.  As  there 
did  not  exist  at  this  time  but  seven  lodges  in  London, 
nine-tenths  of  the  members  of  which  were  "Accepted 
Masons,"  it  became  necessary  to  invite  the  Freemasons  of 
Europe  generally  to  England  to  reconstruct  the  city.  All 
the  Freemasons,  as  also  the  Masons  and  architects  which 
did  not  belong  to  the  Masonic  association,  put  themselves 
under  the  direction  of  a  central  lodge,  governed  by  Chris- 
topher Wren,  the  Grand  Master,  and  architect  of  St.  Paul's 
Cathedral,  and  in  accordance  with  whose  plans  the  city 
was  rebuilt. 

A.  D.  1685. — James  III  reestablished  the  Order  of 
Knights  of  St.  Andrew,  which,  established  by  Robert 
Bruce,  King  of  Scotland,  in  1314,  in  favor  of  the  Freema- 
sons who  fought  for  him,  had  been  suppressed,  and  the 
property  of  the  Order  confiscated,  during  the  Reformation. 
This  order,  according  to  the  intention  of  the  king,  should 
be  conferred  as  a  sign  of  distinction  and  recompense 
awarded  to  the  Freemasons  who  had  stood  by  his  house ; 
and  it  is  probable,  had  fortune  favored  James  III,  lie 
would  have  reinstated  this  Order  in  its  possessions. 

A.  D.  1703. — At  this  time  there  existed  but  four  lodges 
of  Freemasons  in  London ;  and,  notwithstanding  the  zeal 
exhibited  by  the  aged  Grand  Master,  Christopher  Wren, 
the  members  of  these  lodges  gradually  decreased.  The 
annual  feasts  were  completely  neglected  and  the  lodges 
deserted.  Under  these  circumstances,  the  Lodge  of  St. 
Paul,  (known  at  the  present  time  as  the  Lodge  of  An- 
tiquity,) with  the  object  of  retarding  the  continually 
decreasing  number  of -its  membership,  as  also  to  give  some 
importance  to  its  existence,  passed  a  resolution  that  en- 


244  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

tirely  changed  the  face  of  the  society.     (This  resolution 
will  be  found  on  page  56,  ante.) 

A.  D.  1717. — This  memorable  year,  from  which  it  is 
necessary  to  date  the  era  of  modern  Freemasonry,  was 
marked  by  the  death  of  Christopher  Wren.  (The  Masonic 
events  of  this  year  will  be  found  first  given  at  pages  51 
and  57,  ante,  and  subsequently  often  referred  to  in  this 
work.) 


III. — INDICATIONS  OF  THE  CAUSES  FOR  THE  DIVERSITY  OP 
OPINIONS  WHICH  EXIST  AS  TO  THE  ORIGIN  OF  FREEMASONRY. 

THE  opinion  that  has  generally  prevailed,  as  well  in 
Europe  as  in  America,  that  Freemasonry  is  indebted  for 
its  origin  to  the  religious  mysteries  of  the  Jews,  or  to  the 
initiations  of  India,  Persia,  or  Egypt,  is  owing,  to  a  great 
extent,  to  the  numerous  writings  of  an  eccentric  char 
acter  which  have  been  published,  principally  in  France, 
by  designing  persons,  for  political  purposes,  during  the 
last  century. 

This  opinion,  however,  has  never  had  supporters  among 
such  English  Masonic  writers  as  have  produced  histories 
of  Freemasonry,  of  whom  the  number,  however,  has  beeu 
few.  These  writers  remain  faithful  to  their  ancient  tra- 
ditions and  documents  in  their  possession,  and,  according 
to  which,* Freemasonry  existed  under  this  name  since  the 
occupation  of  Great  Britain  by  the  Roman  legions;  and, 
therefore,  they  very  logically  determine  that  the  institu- 
tion was  brought  to  that  country  by  the  Romans. 

Within  the  present  century,  two  works  have  appeared 
which  have  helped  to  strengthen  French  Masons  in. the 
errors  into  which  they  have  fallen  upon  the  subject  of  the 
origin  of  Freemasonry.  The  first  is  the  work  of  Brother 
Lenoir,  a  distinguished  antiquary,  published  at  Paris  in 
1814,  and  bearing  the  title,  "Freemasonry  Restored  to  its 
True  Origin,  or  the  Antiquity  of  Freemasonry  proven  by 


DOCUMENTARY   AND   HISTORICAL   EVIDENCE.  245 

the  Explanation  of  its  Ancient  and  Modern  Mysteries;"1 
and  the  second  is  the  work  of  Brother  Reghelini  de  Cl^io, 
entitled  "Freemasonry  in  its  Connection  with  the  Relig- 
ions of  the  Egyptians."  The  first  of  these  works  has  dis- 
played a  rare  quality  of  research  for  proofs  to  support  the 
opinions  of  its  author,  while  the  second  exhibits  less  care 
in  establishing,  by  the  aid  of  science  and  history,  the  con- 
nections which  its  author  believes  he  has  discovered  be- 
tween the  religions  of  the  Egyptians  and  Freemasonry. 
It  is  but  doing  justice  to  both  authors,  however,  to  believe 
that  they  earnestly  desired  to  seek  the  truth.  But  while, 
in  the  forms,  symbols,  doctrines,  and  principles  of  Free- 
masonry they  have  discovered  the  true  secrets  of  the  philo- 
sophic schools  of  Greece,  Egypt,  and  India,  introduced, 
during  many  centuries  which  have  preceded  our  era,  into 
the  Roman  colleges  of  constructors,  and  which  latter  were, 
from  their  foundation,  the  theater  of  all  initiations,  and 
open  to  all  mysterious  doctrines,  it  may  not  be  concluded 
that  Freemasonry  sprang  by  direct  issue  from  these  schools 
of  antiquity.  If  these  doctrines  have  been  religiously  pre- 
served by  the  corporations,  as  we  have  stated,  and  by  them 
as  religiously  transmitted,  with  little  alteration,  to  those 
which  succeeded  them  in  Gaul  and  Britain,  these  corpora- 
tions alone  should  not  monopolize  the  merit  of  such  trans- 
mission; for  the  Greeks  and  Jews,  and  particularly  the 
primitive  Christians,  have  equally  propagated  these  doc- 
trines. JSTow,  notwithstanding  the  connection  that  Free- 
masonry presents,  in.  its  forms  of  initiation,  with  the 

1  In  the  work  of  Brother  J.  G.  Findel  of  Leipsic,  entitled  "History  of 
Fieemasonry  from  its  Origin  to  the  Present  Day" — one  of  the  best  Ger- 
man works  of  its  kind — in  speaking  of  the  diversity  of  opinion  prevalent^ 
particularly  in  France,  upon  the  origin  of  Freemasonry,  the  author  re- 
marks that  all  the  French  Masonic  writers  have  accepted  and  followed 
the  opinion  of  Alex.  Lenoir,  with  the  exception  of  Brother  Rebold  and 
Brother  Moreau.  These  brethren,  he  coi  tinues,  coincide  in  the  opinion 
of  all  our  (German)  earnest  and  thorough  historians,  such  as  Krause, 
Boberich,  Helduiann,  and  others. 


246  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

ancient  mysteries — a  connection  that  has  induced  error 
among  most  writers — it  can  not  be  considered  more  than 
a  feeble  imitation,  instead  of  a  continuation,  of  these 
mysteries;  because,  from  the  beginning,  initiation  into  the 
mysteries  of  the  ancient  Egyptians,  Greeks,  and  Hindoos 
was  the  teachings  of  the  worship,  philosophy,  philan- 
thropy, and  morality,  as  well  as  art,  science,  and  legisla- 
tion of  these  peoples,  while  Freemasonry  should  be  con- 
sidered as  a  purely  philosophic  school  of  perfection,  having 
for  its  leading  object  universal  fraternity. 

We  will  refrain  from  quoting  much  that  has  been  pub- 
lished upon  this  subject  by  writers  more  or  less  convinced, 
and  which  has  contributed  greatly  to  mislead  the  minds 
of  brethren,  even  the  most  enlightened. l 

Can  it  be  wondered  that  among  Masons,  such  as  Brother 
Garon,  who  would  bid  historians  look  into  their  own 
hearts  for  authentic  materials  with  which  to  construct  a 
history  of  any  human  institution,  there  will  be  found  to- 
day— notwithstanding  the  consistent,  straightforward,  and 
authentic  productions  on  this  subject  which  have  been 
given  to  the  brethren  during  the  past  ten  years — orators 
of  lodges  in  France,  and  probably  elsewhere,  misleading 
the  minds  of  young  Masons  and  disgusting  those  of  the 
old  with  their  Masonic  romances  and  absurd  histories,  as 
gathered  from  their  favorite  Masonic  authors? 

To  discover  the  cradle  of  the  institution,  it  should  suf- 
fice to  seek  it  in  the  history  of  England,  and  at  the  time 

1  In  the  report  that  Brother  Garon,  president  of  the  Chamber  of  Cor- 
respondence, made  to  the  Grand  Orient  of  France,  upon  the  General 
History  of  Freemasonry — the  earlier  production  of  the  author  of  the 
present  work — he  says,  in  closing:  "All  Masons  who  may  read  the 
learned  work  of  this  historian  will  find  therein  much  valuable  informa- 
tion and  historical  instruction ;  but  they  will  also  be  convinced,  as  I  am, 
tnat  if  Brother  Rebold  had  sought  the  History  of  Freemasonry  in  his 
heart,  in  place  of  taking  it  from  books,  he  would  not  have  landed  thia 
almost  divine  institution  from  among  an  association  of  workmen  con- 
structors." 


DOCUMENTARY   AND    HISTORICAL    EVIDENCE.  247 

when  are  first  mentioned  the  corporations  known  by  the 
name  of  Free  Masons.  Then,  after  having  consulted  all 
the  documents  of  this  period,  go  back  still  further,  by  the 
aid  of  such  marks  as  can  be  found,  to  the  place  or  first 
appearance  of  the  persons  among  whom  the  society  ap- 
pears; then  follow  it  down  through  the  wars  and  inva- 
sions to  which  that  country  has  been  subject.  If,  after 
this  process  of  investigation,  and  notwithstanding  the 
changes  of  its  primitive  name,  the  identity  of  the  affilia- 
tion is  established,  or  successively  developed,  it  is  not 
necessary  then  to  have  recourse  to  hypothesis  to  indicate 
with  certainty  its  origin.  It  is  by  proceeding  thus  that 
we  have  found  that  Freemasonry  is  the  issue  of  an  ancient 
and  celebrated  corporation  of  artists  and  mechanics,  united 
for  the  prosecution  of  civil,  religious,  naval,  and  military 
architecture,  founded  at  Rome  in  the  year  715  B.  C.,  by 
the  celebrated  legislator,  Numa  Pompilius ;  and  which, 
during  the  eleven  hundred  years  which  elapsed  subsequent 
to  its  foundation,  had  been  known,  in  all  the  countries 
subject  to  Roman  rule,  under  the  designation  of  Corpora- 
tions or  Fraternities  of  Roman  Builders;  but,  after  the  re- 
treat of  the  Roman  legions  of  the  Gauls,  and  being  no 
longer  sustained  by  the  Roman  powers,  these  associations 
were  forced  to  dissolve  and  divide  themselves  into  separate 
corporations,  (between  A.  D.  486  and  500,)  from  which 
sprang  the  artists  and  mechanics  of  the  middle  ages,  as 
the  new  corporations  of  mason  builders,  and  preserving 
only  their  ancient  laws  and  the  artistic  and  philosophic 
secrets  of  their  art. 

The  members  of  these  corporations,  remaining  in  Brit- 
ain after  their  transformation,  were  called  Free  Masons,  to 
distinguish  them  from  the  masons  and  stone-cutters  who 
were  not  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  privileges  extended  to 
them  by  written  constitutions  and  diplomas.  These  Free- 
masons have  had,  since  that  time,  an  immense  political 
and  scientific  influence;  they  communicated  their  secrets 


248  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

but  to  those  whom,  according  to  traditional  forms,  they 
initiated  into  their  mysteries;  they  had  a  liberal  organi- 
zation, and  a  philosophic  code  of  laws  which  had  governed 
them  from  ancient  times.  This  association,  dissolved  in 
the  sixteenth  century  in  consequence  of  the  peculiar  cir- 
cumstances of  the  Protestant  Reformation  in  the  countries 
where  it  then  principally  subsisted,  is  subsequently  main- 
tained without  interruption  in  England,  under  its  tradi- 
tional forms,  even  after  having  abandoned  its  material 
object.  Numerous  fractions  of  it,  called  lodges,  continue 
to  exist  until  the  beginning  of  the  eighteenth  century, 
disseminated  throughout  the  country,  and  meeting  only 
once  a  year,  at  the  feast  of  St.  John,  to  distribute  aid 
among  the  brethren,  and  elect  their  officers ;  while,  be- 
yond the  control  of  any  state  laws,  they  conserved  the 
privilege  unabated  of  uniting  in  public  processions  and 
laying  the  corner-stones  of  all  public  buildings  and  monu- 
ments. This  corporation  of  Freemasons,  finally  trans- 
formed at  London  in  1717,  declares  its  wish  to  continue 
and  to  propagate  the  philosophical  principles  which,  from 
all  time,  have  been  the  basis  of  the  society;  and,  renoun- 
cing forever  material  architecture,  to  thenceforth  employ 
itself  wholly  with  moral  architecture  and  philosophy.  Such 
is  the  origin  of  Modern  or  Philosophical  Freemasonry. 

And  why  should  not  such  an  origin  be  acceptable  to  all 
Freemasons  ?  Because,  simply,  it  is  repugnant  to  their 
self-love  to  acknowledge  the  descent  of  their  society  from 
an  association  of  practical  masons,  or,  in  the  language  of 
Brother  Garon,  from  "  an  association  of  workmen-con- 
structors;" and  this,  too,  notwithstanding  the  very  name 
Freemason  indicates  no  other  source  or  origin. 

Examine  more  closely  this  association  of  which  they  are 
ashamed. 

By  its  antiquity  alone — an  antiquity  which  they  at  all 
times  desire  most  heartily  to  endorse  and  extend  beyond 
all  reasonable  limit — is  it  not  respectable? 


DOCUMENTARY   AND    HISTORICAL   EVIDENCE.  249 

By  its  having  been  based  upon  the  laws  of  the  Diony- 
sian  priest-architects,  admitted  by  Solon  in  his  legislation, 
and  subsequently  inscribed  by  him  upon  the  Roman  ta- 
bles— is  it  not  respectable  ? 

By  its  having  been  composed,  from  the  beginning,  of 
the  most  eminent  men  of  the  most  eminent  nations — of 
Greeks,  of  Egyptians,  of  Phenicians — initiates  into  the 
mysteries  of  their  respective  countries,  and  experts  in  all 
branches  of  human  knowledge — is  it  iiot  respectable  ? 

Did  not  these  corporations  collect  and  adopt  all  the 
philosophic  and  humanitarian  truths  taught  and  implied 
in  the  doctrines  of  the  greatest  thinkers  of  antiquity;  and, 
by  having,  long  before  the  birth  of  Christ,  practiced  those 
principles  pointing  to  the  emancipation  and  elevation  of 
woman,  as  the  fountain  of  our  existence,  and  to  the  abol- 
ishment of  human  slavery — are  they  not  respectable? 

Can  we  point  to  any  other  association  which  for  twenty- 
five  centuries  has  preserved  in  their  primitive  simplicity 
and  purity,  and  written,  as  it  were,  with  a  pen  of  steel  in 
the  rock  forever,  those  humanitarian  principles  of  love  to 
God  and  to  our  neighbor? 

Was  it  an  association  of  no  importance  which  erected 
those  thousands  of  majestic  temples,  those  superb  monu- 
ments whose  very  ruins  to-day  involuntarily  excite  our 
admiration  ? 

Were  they  simple  associations  of  workmen-constructors 
who,  possessing  all  the  art,  science,  and  knowledge  of  any 
value  acquired  at  that  time,  exercised  so  great  an  influence 
upon  Roman  civilization,  that  it  may  be  considered  in- 
debted to  them  for  all  of  art  and  civil  law  disseminated 
wherever  the  legions  fixed  themselves,  and  who  thus  be- 
came the  forerunners  of  Christian  teaching  and  civiliza- 
tion ? 

Was  it  a  simple  association  of  practical  masons  who, 
during  the  middle  ages,  constructed  those  numerous  and 
sublime  religious  edifices,  which  shall  be  forever  the  ad- 


250  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

miration  of  posterity — those  master-pieces  of  Christian 
genius,  those  grand,  gigantic  conceptions  of  religious  faith 
and  zeal — the  cathedrals  of  Strasburg,  Cologne,  Rouen, 
Paris,  etc.  ?  Could  such  monuments  be  the  work  of  ordi- 
nary masons  and  stone-cutters  ?  If  so,  where  shall  we 
find  their  like  to-day  ? 

These  sanctuaries  of  the  Great  Architect  of  the  Universe, 
as  they  are  avowed  to  be  by  the  most  distinguished  archi- 
tects— strangers  to  the  Masonic  institution — are  due  to  the 
Freemasonry  of  the  middle  ages:  to  "these  philosophic, 
learned,  modest,  pious,  and  truly  Christian  Freemasons," 
as  they  are  called  by  the  author  of  one  of  the  best  and 
most  recent  works  upon  architecture. l 

Was  it  a  simple  association  of  workmen-constructors 
who  by  their  protest  annulled  an  act  of  the  Parliament  of 
England  of  1425  ? 

Is  that  an  association  of  no  importance  which,  since  the 
sixth  century,  can  count  as  its  presidents,  thirteen  bishops 
and  archbishops,  twelve  dukes  of  the  kingdom,  and  four- 
teen princes  and  kings  ? 

And  should  we,  as  Freemasons,  blush  to  descend  from 
those  corporations  of  mason  philosophers,  because  they 
wrought,  in  their  time,  as  workmen-constructors? 

No  associations  of  any  period  of  the  world's  history 
have  produced  works  so  remarkable  as  those  which  are 
due  to  these  corporations;  and  no  society  that  ever  had 
place  on  the  world's  surface  can  be  compared  to  them 
either  as  to  length  of  years  or  value  of  principles. 

Far  from  contemning  so  respectable  an  origin,  we  should 
seek  glory  in  acknowledging  it,  at  all  times  and  in  all 
places ;  and  endeavor  to  render  ourselves  worthy  of  it  by 
continuing,  in  our  own  persons,  that  sublime  work  of 
which  the  Roman  constructors,  in  the  spiritual  darkness 
of  twenty-five  hundred  years  ago,  laid  the  foundation  stone. 

'See  "General  History  of  Architecture,"  by  Daniel  Rarnee,  p.  234. 


H1STOEICAL   ENUMEEATION 


OF    THE 


PRINCIPAL  MASONIC  CONGRESSES  AND  CONVENTIONS 

WHICH  HAVE  HAD  PLACE  IN  EUROPE  SINCE  THAT  OF  YORK, 
A.  D.  926,  TO  THAT  OF  PARIS,  A.  D.  1856. 


YORK,  IN  926. 

CONVOKED  by  Edwin,  son  of  King  Athelstan,  for  the 
reconstitution  of  the  Masonic  corporations.  A  new  con- 
stitution, based  upon  the  ancient  laws,  is  at  this  time  pro- 
mulgated. 

STRASBURG,  IN  1275. 

4 

Convoked  by  Erwin  of  Steinbach  for  the  continuation 
of  the  work  on  the  cathedral  of  Strasburg.  A  great  num- 
ber of  architects  and  workmen  from  Germany,  England, 
and  Lombardy  are  assembled  at  this  congress.  At  the 
instance  of  the  lodges  of  England,  they  constituted  them- 
selves under  the  rule  of  the  Freemasons,  and  each  took  the 
oath  to  faithfully  observe  the  ancient  laws  and  regulations 
of  the  Fraternity  of  Freemasons. 

RATISBONNE,  IN  1459. 

Convoked  by  Job  Dotzinger,  working  master  of  the 
cathedral  of  Strasburg,  to  discuss  the  affairs  of  the  Fra- 
ternity generally,  and  sanction  the  new  laws  and  regula- 

(251) 


252  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY 

tions  prepared  at  a  meeting  that  took  place  at  Strasburg 
in  1452. 

*r 

RATISBONNE,  IN  1464. 

Convoked  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Strasburg  with  the 
following  objects :  1.  General  affairs,  and  to  receive  re- 
ports concerning  the  edifices  then  in  course  of  construc- 
tion, with  the  intention  of  overcoming  or  removing  the 
difficulties  which  prevented  their  completion.  2.  To  de- 
fine more  precisely  the  rights  and  attributes  of  the  four 
Grand  Lodges,  viz.:  those  of  Cologne,  Strasburg,  Berne, 
and  Vienna.  3.  The  nomination  of  Conrad  Kuyn,  work- 
ing master,  to  the  Grand  Mastership  of  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  Cologne,  etc. 

SPIRE,  IN  1469. 

Convoked  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Strasburg,  with  the 
following  objects,  viz. :  1.  To  receive  and  act  upon  com- 
munications concerning  all  the  religious  edifices  finished, 
as  well  as  in  course  of  construction,  and  also  as  to  those 
the  work  upon  which  has  been  arrested.  2.  To  hear  re- 
ports upon  the  situation  and  condition  of  the  Fraternity 
in  England,  Gaul,  Lombardy,  and  Germany. 

COLOGNE,  IN  1535. 

Convoked  by  Hermann,  bishop  of  Cologne,  to  take 
measures  to  meet  the  accusations  and  dangers  which  men- 
aced the  Freemasons.  The  "charter  of  Cologne"  is  stated 
to  be  the  offspring  of  this  congress;  but  the  authenticity 
of  this  statement  is  not  believed  by  those  who  have  criti- 
cally examined  that  document. 

BASLE,  IN  1563. 

Convoked  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Strasburg,  with  the 
following  objects,  viz. :  1.  To  receive  and  act  upon  a 
general  report  of  the  condition  of  architecture  and  that  of 


MASONIC  CONGRESSES  AND  CONVENTIONS.       253 

the  Fraternity.  2.  To  discuss  and  amicably  terminate  the 
differences  which  had  arisen  concerning  the  rights  of  some 
of  the  twenty-two  lodges  subordinate  to  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  Strasburg.  3.  To  sanction  the  revised  statutes  pre- 
pared by  a  commission  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Strasburg, 
to  date  from  the  feast  of  St.  Michael,  1563. 

STRASBURG,  IN  1564. 

Convoked  as  an  extraordinary  convention  by  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  Strasburg.  with  the  objects,  viz. :  1.  To  explain 
definitely  all  the  subjects  in  dispute  among  the  lodges, 
and  to  decide  that  the  difficulties  which  should  hereafter 
arise  among  them  should  be  submitted  directly  to  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  Strasburg,  and  adjudged  (decided)  by 
that  body  without  appeal.  2.  To  continue  the  customary 
reports,  etc. 

LONDON,  IN  1717. 

Convoked  by  the  four  lodges  which  at  this  time  ex- 
isted in  London,  at  the  head  of  which  was  the  old  lodge 
of  St.  Paul.  Approving  and  ratifying  a  resolution  adopted 
by  this  lodge  in  1703,  viz.:  "That  the  privileges  of  Ma- 
sonry shall  no  longer  be  confined  to  operative  Masons,  but 
be  free  to  men  of  all  professions,  provided  that  they  are 
regularly  approved  and  initiated  into  the  Fraternity," 
they  constituted  themselves,  in  accordance  with  this  de- 
cision, a  Grand  Lodge  of  England  of  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons,  with  a  rite  consisting  of  three  primitive  degrees, 
called  symbolic. 

DUBLIN,  IN  1729. 

Convoked  by  the  lodges  of  Dublin,  with  the  object  of 
organizing  Freemasonry  upon  the  basis  adopted  in  Eng- 
land in  1717,  and  to  institute  a  Grand  Lodge  for  Ireland. 
At  this  convention  the  viscount  Lord  Kingston  was  elected 
Grand  Master. 


254  GENERAL   HISTORY  OF   FREEMASONRY. 


EDINBURGH,  IN  1736. 

Convoked  by  the  baron  Sinclair  of  Roslyn,  Grand  Mas- 
ter of  the  Masons  of  Scotland  by  appointment  of  King 
James  II  in  1439,  with  the  object  of  abdicating  his  dig- 
nity of  hereditary  Grand  Master,  and  organize  Masonry 
upon  the  new  basis  recognized  and  sanctioned  by  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  England  and  Ireland.  There  were  pres- 
ent at  this  convention  the  members  of  thirty-two  lodges, 
who  instituted  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Scotland,  and  elected 
Baron  Sinclair  Grand  Master  for  the  year  1737. 

THE  HAGUE,  IN  1756. 

Convoked  by  the  mother  lodge  ""Royal  Union,"  of  the 
Hague,  with  the  object  of  instituting  a  national  Grand 
Lodge  for  the  United  Provinces,  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  England.  The  object  of  this  convention 
was  consummated  by  the  thirteen  lodges  assembled,  and 
the  baron  of  Aersen-Beyeren  was  elected  Grand  Master. 

JENA  AND  ALTENBURG,  IN  1763,  1764,  AND  1765. 

In  the  first  of  these  conventions,  Johnson,  the  self-styled 
plenipotentiary  of  the  "Unknown  Superiors"  resident  in 
Scotland,  assembled  at  Jena,  on  the  25th  October,  the 
lodges  established  under  the  system  of  Strict  Observance, 
for  the  purpose  of  recognizing  him  in  his  office  of  Supe- 
rior. A  second  convention  was  convoked  by  him  at  Jena 
to  establish  his  system.  To  this  was  invited  Baron  Hund, 
and  the  lodges  of  the  same  rite  founded  by  him;  but 
Hund,  who  had  at  first  believed  in  the  mission  of  John- 
son, discovered  and  declared  him  to  be  an  impostor.  At 
the  third  convention,  held  at  Altenburg,  near  Jena,  the 
following  year,  Baron  Hund  was  proclaimed  Grand  Mas- 
ter of  all  the  lodges  of  this  system. 


MASONIC   CONGRESSES   AND   CONVENTIONS.  255 

KOHLO,  IN  1772. 

Convoked  by  some  lodges  of  the  system  of  Strict  Observ- 
ance, with  the  object  of  opposing  a  new  rite  established 
by  Ziniiendorf.  At  this  convention  the  duke  Ferdinand 
of  Brunswick  was  elected  Grand  Master  of  Strict  Observ- 
ance lodges. 

BRUNSWICK,  IN  1775. 

Convoked  by  Ferdinand,  Duke  of  Brunswick,  with  the 
object  of  ascertaining  which,  if  any,  of  the  rites  pretend- 
ing to  the  possession  of  the  true  Masonic  science,  really 
possessed  it.  Baron  Hund,  and  twenty-three  lodges  of  the 
system  he  had  instituted  in  the  convention  of  Altenburg, 
assisted  at  this  convention,  in  which  the  discussions  took 
place  daily,  from  the  22d  May  to  the  6th  July,  without 
any  decision  having  resulted. 

LEIPSIC,  IN  1777. 

Convoked  by  the  lodges  of  the  system  of  Strict  Observ- 
ance located  in  Berlin,  with  the  object  of  putting  into 
operation  the  resolutions  passed  at  a  meeting,  or  succes- 
sion of  meetings,  which  took  place  at  Hamburg,  from  the 
4th  to  the  16th  June,  relative  to  the  establishment  of  a 
compact  of  union  among  all  the  lodges  of  the  system,  both 
in  Sweden  and  Germany,  and  to  nominate  a  new  Grand 
Master,  for  which  office  they  proposed  the  Duke  of  Suder- 
manie.  This  convention  lasted  from  the  16th  to  the  22d 
of  October,  and  then  dissolved  without  having  decided  on 
any  thing. 

LYONS,  IN  1778. 

Convoked  by  the  lodge  of  the  "Benevolent  Knights" 
at  Lyons,  under  the  pretext  of  reforming  Freemasonry, 
throwing  light  upon  all  obscurity,  and  correcting  the 


256  GENERAL    HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

rituals;  but  the  real  object  of  which  was  to  establish  the 
Marti nist  rite  over  that  of  the  -Templars.  Only  one  of 
their  objects  was  accomplished :  they  changed  the  rituals. 
The  convention  remained  in  session  from  the  23d  Novem- 
ber to  the  27th  of  December. 

WOLFENBUTTEL,  IN  1778. 

Convoked  by  Frederick,  Duke  of  Brunswick,  with  the 
like  object  of  the  convention  at  Brunswick  in  1775.  It 
lasted  from  the  15th  July  to  the  22d  August;  and  the 
assembly  not  seeing  any  clearer  on  the  last  of  those  days 
than  they  did  on  the  first  through  the  chaos  into  which 
the  mystical  systems  had  plunged  Freemasonry,  decided 
that  they  should  make  a  general  appeal  to  all  the  Masonic 
bodies,  and  convoke  at  Wilhelmsbad  a  convention  of  all 
the  Masons  of  Europe. 

WlLHELMSBAD,  IN  1782. 

(This  convention  was  at  first  fixed  for  the  15th  October, 
1781,  afterward  for  Easter  week,  1782,  and  finally  for  the 
16th  -July,  1782.) 

Convoked  by  Ferdinand,  Duke  of  Brunswick,  agreeably 
to  the  decision  of.  the  convention  at  Wolfenbuttel,  in  1778, 
with  the  following  objects,  viz. ;  1.  The  general  reforma- 
tion of  Freemasonry;  2.  To  discuss,  with  the  object  of 
obtaining  light  as  to  the  origin  of  the  different  systems 
and  doctrines;  and,  above  all,  3.  To  solve  the  following 
questions:  Is  Freemasonry  a  modern  society?  Is  it,  on 
the  contrary,  derived  from  an  ancient  society?  If  so, 
from  what  ancient  society  is  it  derived?  Has  Freema- 
sonry Superior  Generals?  Who  are  they?  What  are  their 
attributes  ?  Do  these  attributes  enable  them  to  command 
or  to  instruct  ? 

All  these  questions,  submitted  to  the  assembly  during 
its  thirty  meetings,  were  unanswered.  The  congress  suc- 
ceeded, however,  in  exposing  a  number  of  mystical  sys- 


MASONIC    CONGRESSES    AND    CONVENTIONS.  257 

terns,  and  in  remodeling  the  system  of  Strict  Observance. 
It  also  caused  the  creation  of  the  Eclectic  Kite. 

PARIS,  IN  1785. 

Convoked  by  tho  Pliilaletes  of  the  Lodge  of  United 
Friends  of  Paris,  for  the  purpose  of  assembling  all  the 
learned  Masons  in  France  to  clear  up  the  fog  produced  by 
the  numerous  systems  introduced  into  Freemasonry;  to 
discuss  and  arrange  the  essential  points  of  Masonic  doc- 
trine, origin,  and  historical  affiliation,  and  determine  the 
actual  condition  of  Masonic  science.  This  congress  con- 
tinued in  session  from  the  15th  February  to  the  26th  May, 
without  determining  any  thing. 

PARIS,  IN  1787. 

Also  convoked  by  the  Pliilaletes,  to  continue  the  discus- 
sions opened  at  the  previous  congress  upon  many  dogmatic 
and  historic  points  already  settled  by  the  congress  of  Wil- 
nelmsbad;  but  none  of  the  questions  which  induced  the 
assembly  of  this  congress  were  at  this  time  determined, 
and  the  origin,  nature,  and  object  of  perpetuating  Masonry 
continued  to  remain  an  insoluble  problem  to  the  greatest 
number  of  the  Masons  of  the  continent. 

SWITZERLAND,  IN  1836  TO  1842. 

The  first  of  these  conventions  was  held  at  Zurich  in 
1836,  the  second  at  Berne  in  1838,  the  third  at  Basle  in 
1840,  and  the  fourth  at  Locle  in  1842.  Their  object  was 
the  fusion  of  the  Masonic  powers  of  Switzerland,  the 
abolishing  of  high  degrees,  and  the  organization  of  one 
Masonic  authority,  to  be  called  the  Alpine  Grand  Lodge. 
The  constitution  of  union  was  signed  at  Locle  in  1842, 
ratified,  in  1843,  and  became  the  law  of  the  Fraternity  in 
1844. 

17 


258  GENERAL  HISTORY  OF  FREEMASONRY. 

PARIS  IN  1848. 

Convoked,  after  the  revolution  in  February  1848,  by  a 
few  members  of  the  "Supreme  Council  for  France"  calling 
all  the  lodges  of  France  to  constitute  a  new  power,  to  elab- 
orate a  constitution  based  upon  the  broadest  democratic 
principles,  and  to  adopt  exclusively  the  modern  English 
rite.  The  result  of  this  congress  was  the  organization  of 
The  National  Grand  Lodge  of  France. 

PARIS,  IN  1855. 

Convoked  by  Prince  Lucien  Murat,  Grand  Master  of  the 
Grand  Orient  of  France,  who  had  extended  an  invitation  to 
all  the  Grand  Orients  and  Grand  Lodges  of  the  world  to 
unite  in  a  Universal  Masonic  Congress,  the  object  of  which 
would  be  to  cement  more  closely  the  bonds  of  union  among 
all  the  Masonic  powers  wherever  dispersed.  A  very  small 
number  of  those  powers  responded  to  this  call;  and  the 
propositions  discussed  and  adopted  were  of  so  feeble  a  na- 
ture that  they  are  not  worth  mentioning.  The  result  oi 
this  congress  has  been  nothing. 


FIRST  CHRONOLOGICAL  EPOCH.  259 


CHRONOLOGICAL  ARRANGEMENT 

OF  THE 

HISTORY  OF  FREEMASONRY, 

BASED  UPON  THE   ANCIENT   DOCUMENTS,  AND   UPON   THE   PRIN- 
CIPAL MONUMENTS  ERECTED   BY  FREEMASONS: 
DIVIDED  INTO    THREE  EPOCHS. 


From  the  year  715  B.  C.  to  the  year  1000  A.  D. 


715  B.  C. 

FOUNDATION  of  the  colleges  of  Roman  Constructors  (col- 
legia fabrorum),  composed  of  all  the  arts  and  trades  necessary 
for  the  execution  of  religious  and  civil,  naval  and  hydraulic 
architecture,  with  their  own  laws  and  lawgivers — laws  at 
this  time  hased  upon  those  of  the  priest  architects  of  Greece, 
whose  mysteries,  under  the  name  of  Dyonisian,  had  spread 
among  the  principal  peoples  of  the  Ea^t.  Numa  Pompil- 
ius,  in  organizing  these  colleges,  constituted  them  at  the 
time  as  a  civil  and  religious  society,  with  the  exclusive 
privilege  of  erecting  the  public  temples  and  monuments  in 
Rome.  Their  connection  with  the  State  and  the  priesthood 
was  determined  by  the  laws  with  precision;1  they  had 

1  Consult  on  the  subject  of  these  associations  the  Body  of  Roman  Rights; 
Cicero's  Second  Epistle  to  his  Brother  Quintus ;  The  Pollion  of  De  Bugny ;  Schoell's 
History  of  Architecture,  vol.  1 ;  De  Hammer's  Discovery  of  the  Actual  State  of  Free- 
masonry ;  Lenning's  Encyclopedia  of  FreemMonry  ;  C.  Krauser's  Three  Oldest 
Landmarks  of  Freemasonry;  De  Widdekiud's  Memoir  upon  the  State  of  Architecture 
in  the  Middle  Ages:  and  Heldmann's  History  of  Freemasonry 


260  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF    FREEMASONRY. 

their  own  jurisdiction,  their  own  worship:  at  their  head 
were  to  be  found  presiding  officers  called  magi*tri  (masters), 
wardens,  censors,  treasurers,  keepers  of  the  seals,  archivists 
secretaries,  etc.;  they  had  special  physicians,  serving  broth- 
ers, and  they  paid  into  their  treasury  monthly  collections. 
The  number  of  members  of  each  college  was  tixed,  and  de- 
termined by  law.  Composed  principally  of  Greek  artists, 
they,  surrounding  the  secrets  of  their  art  and  of  their  doc- 
trines with  the  mysteries  of  the  worship  of  their  country, 
enveloped  them  in  the  symbols  borrowed  from  these  same 
mysteries,  and  of  which  one  of  the  characteristic  traits  was 
the  employment,  in  a  symbolical  sense,  of  the  tools  of  their 
profession.1 

710  B.  C. 

Numa,  the  wise  lawgiver,  who  founded  the  colleges,  im- 
mediately assigned  to  them  their  work :  at  first  the  en- 
largement of  the  Capitol ;  next  the  completion  of  the  tem- 
ples dedicated  to  the  Sun,  to  the  Moon,  to  Saturn,  Rliea, 
and  Vesta,  to  Mars,  and  the  other  pagan  divinities,  which 
were  begun  under  Romulus  and  the  king  of  the  Sabines. 
These  monuments  finished,  Numa  ordered  them  to  erect 
temples  to  Faith,  to  Fidelity,  to  Romulus,  and  to  Janus 
the  god  of  Peace,  whom  Numa  particularly  adored.  He 
ordered  them  to  fortify  the  city  and  surround  it  with  walls; 
and  this  work  accomplished,  he  directed  them  to  continue 
the  construction  of  that  famous  temple  that  Romulus  erected 
to  Jupiter  Stator,  upon  the  spot  where  his  army,  when 
nearly  vanquished,  recovered  their  strength  and  courage, 
after  Romulus  had  addressed  a  prayer  to  Jupiter.2 

1  By  virtue  of  these  privileges,  all  the  public  monuments  which  were  con. 
structed  from  the  organization  of  these  colleges  until  the  reign  of  Oonstan- 
tine  the  Great,  (330  years  after  Christ,)  in  Rome  and  the  provinces,  were  ex- 
clusively erected  by  them,  or  under  their  direction;  but  of  which  nothing 
exists  to-day  but  ruins  of  more  or  less  importance. 

2  The  great  number  of  temples  which  were  subsequently  erected  in  Rome 
are  due  to    the  practice  which  was  thus  originated  by  Romulus — that  the 
commander  in  chief  should  erect  a  temple  to  the  god  whom  he  invoked  dur- 


FIRST    CHRONOLOGICAL   EPOCH.  261 

650  B.  0. 

Tlie  population  increases  much  under  Ancus  Martins, 
who  fortifies  the  city  anew  and  surrounds  it  with  new  walls; 
and  a  considerable  aqueduct,  that  takes  his  name,  is  con- 
structed by  his  orders.  He  orders  the  colleges  of  con- 
structors to  erect  at  Ostia  a  port  of  entry,  or  harbor,  to  en- 
courage maritime  commerce;  and  they  there  constructed 
some  ships. 

610  B.  C. 

Under  the  reign  of  Tarquin  the  Elder,  some  temples  were 
erected;  upon  the  Capitoline  Hill  one  to  Jupiter,  one  to 
Juno,  and  one  to  Minerva.  He  had  constructed  within  the 
city  a  wall  of  cut  stone,  a  subterranean  canal  (the  cloaca 
maxima)  for  the  drainage  of  the  city,  and  a  great  many 
other  public  monuments.  Under  his  orders  the  iirst  circus 
was  constructed. 

580  B.  C. 

Home  is  further  aggrandized  under  the  reign  of  Serviua 
Tullius,  and  increased  in  size  'by  taking  within  its  limits 
the  Virinal,  Quirinal,  and  Esquiline  Hills,  which,  by  his  or- 
ders, are  surrounded  with  walls.  He  erected  a  temple  to 
the  idea  Manly  Fortune,  and  another  to  the  goddess  Diana. 

530  B.  C. 

The  monuments  and  temples  begun  under  Tarquin  the 
Elder  are  completed  under  Tarquin  the  Superb,  who  also 
continues  the  famous  cloaca  maxima,  in  which  a  person 
might  row  a  boat.  He  finishes  the  temple  of  Jupiter  Cap- 
itoline, and  the  circus  begun  by  his  predecessor;  while  an- 
other circus,  dedicated  to  the  exercises  of  the  Roman  youth, 
is  constructed  by  his  orders. 


ing  the  progress  of  a  battle  won.     This  custom  explains  the  great  number 
*>f  monuments  erected  to  the  same  divinity. 


262  GENERAL   HISTORY  OF   FREEMASONRY. 

500  B.   C. 

The  temples  of  Vesta  and  Hercules  are  erected  upon 
the  Aventiue  Hill,  and  the  temples  of  Pallas  and  Minerva 
Medica  are  erected  under  Juuius  Drusus. 

490  B.  C. 

The  Consuls  Sempronius  and  M.  Minucins  order  tho 
erection,  by  the  colleges  of  constructors,  of  two  temples; 
the  one  dedicated  to  Saturn,  the  other  to  Mercury.  They 
also  establish  the  Saturnalian  feasts. 

480  B.  C. 

The  temples  of  Castor  and  Pollux  are  erected  under  the 
dictator  Posthumius,  who,  after  his  victory  over  the 
Latins,  also  ordered  the  erection  of  two  other  temples — the 
one  in  honor  of  Ceres,  the  other  of  Bacchus.  The  most 
remarkable  of  all  that  he  had  erected,  however,  was  the 
temple  to  the  idea  Better  Fortune. 

451  B.  C. 

Creation  of  the  laws  of  the  Twelve  Tables,  the  eighth 
of  which  is  confined  to  provisions  concerning  the  colleges 
of  builders. 

396  B.  C. 

Furius  Camillus,  during  his  consulate,  orders  the  erec- 
tion of  temples;  one  to  Queen  Juno,  after  a  victory;  also, 
one  to  Jupiter,  and  one  tc  Concord. 

390  B.  C. 

Destruction  of  a  part  of  the  public  monuments  at  the 
sacking  of  Home  by  the  Gauls. 

385  B.  C. 

Re-erection  of  the  destroyed  monuments  under  Flaviua 
Quintus,  who  also  orders  the  erection  of  new  temples, 


FIRST    CHRONOLOGICAL    KPOC1I.  263 

which  he  dedicates;  one  to  Mars,  another  to  Juno  Moneta; 
while  two  others  are  consecrated  to  Salus  (health)  and 
Concord. 

312  B.  C. 

The  first  stone  road  is  constructed  by  the  colleges,  under 
the  orders  of  Appius  Claudius,  who  directed  that  it  be 
continued  to  Capua.  The  first  great  aqueduct  was  con- 
structed at  this  time. 

290  B.  C. 

The  temple  of  Romulus,  who  was,  by  order  of  the  Senate 
of  Pompilius,  deified,  under  the  title  of  Quirinus,  is  erected, 
and  in  it  is  placed  the  first  solar  dial.  The  consul,  Spur. 
Carvilius,  also  ordered  the  erection  of  a  temple  to  Fortis 
ForitLna,  to  contain  the  spoils  taken  from  the  Etruscans. 
He  also  ordered  the  construction  of  a  temple  in  honor  of 
^sculapius,  to  be  situate  upon  the  island  of  the  Tiber. 

285  B.  C. 

The  Fraternities  of  Constructors,  as  they  are  called  at 
this  time,  attached  to  the  Roman  legions,  locate  them- 
selves in  that  portion  of  Cisalpine  Gaul  known  to-day  as 
Venice  and  Lombardy,  whither  they  had  followed  the 
conquest  of  the  Roman  arms.  To  these  fraternities — of 
whom  a  brigade  was  attached  to  each  legion,  and  which 
they  accompanied  every-where — was  entrusted  the  design- 
ing' of  the  plans  of  all  the  military  constructions,  such  as 
intrenched  camps,  strategic  routes,  bridges,  aqueducts,  and 
dwellings.  They  directed  the  labors  of  soldiers  and  the 
more  ignorant  workmen  in  the  mechanical  execution  of 
these  works;  and  it  was  them  who  also  manufactured  the 
implements  of  war.  They  were  submissive  to  the  gen- 
erals or  chiefs  of  the  legions  in  such  matters  as  related 
directly  to  the  movements  of  the  army,  but  in  all  else  they 
remained  in  the  enjoyment  of  their  privileges.  Composed 
of  artists  and  learned  men,  these  fraternities  spread  the 


264  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

ideas  of  Roman  taste,  and  the  knowledge  of  Roman  man- 
ners, literature  and  art,  wherever  the  Roman  nation  carried 
its  victorious  arms;  while,  at  the  same  time,  they  insured 
the  vanquished  in  the  possession  of  the  pacific  element  of 
Roman  favor,  her  arts  and  civil  laws. 

280  B.  C. 

Under  the  consulate  of  Caius  Duilius  new  temples  are 
erected,  one  of  which,  after  having  vanquished  the  Cartha- 
ginians at  sea,  he  dedicated  to  Janus.  Another  temple, 
erected  by  order  of  Actilius,  he  dedicated  to  Hope. 

275  B.  C. 

The  conquest  of  nearly  all  of  Cisalpine  Gaul-  now 
known  as  the  Sardinian  States — was  followed  hy  this 
country  being  at  once  taken  possession  of  hy  the  frater- 
nities of  constructors,  who,  never  remaining  inactive,  re- 
erected  every-where^  and  always  in  better  manner,  those 
monuments  which  the  legions  had  destroyed. 

250  B.  C. 

While  Cisalpine  Gaul  was  covered  over  with  military 
colonies,  surrounded  with  fortifications  executed  by  the 
fraternities  of  constructors,  who  likewise  erected  in  their 
midst  habitations  and  palaces  for  the  principal  commanders, 
other  legions  carried  their  conquering  arms  beyond  the 
Alps  into  Transalpine  Gaul  and  Spain.  The  first  great 
highway  is  constructed  about  this  time  across  Gaul,  and 
leading  from  Rome  to  the  valley  of  Gstia. 

225  B.  C. 

The  fraternities  of  constructors,  who  followed  the  le- 
gions into  Gaul  and  Spain,  completed  their  mission.  In 
Spain  they  founded  Cordova;  in  Gaul,  Empodorum.  Those 
of  Rome  there  constructed  the  famous  Flaminian  Circus, 
to  which  the  Consul,  C.  Flaminius,  attached  his  name. 


FIRST  CHRONOLOGICAL  EPOCH.  2G5 

220  B.  0. 

The  R  nnans,  attacked  by  Hannibal,  erected  after  his 
retreat,  in  commemoration  of  that  event,  a  temple  to  the 
god  (idea)  Ridicule.  Under  the  direction  of  the  colleges, 
and  by  order  of  the  censor  Flaminius,  the  Roman  soldiers 
construct  a  great  strategic  route.  Flaminius  also  orders 
the  erection  of  a  circus  in  Rome. 

210  B.  C. 

During  the  second  Punic  War  the  colleges  had  no  em- 
ployment at  Rome,  there  being  nothing  for  them  to  con- 
struct; they,  therefore,  went  into  the  conquered  provinces. 
Subsequently  they  returned,  and  under  the  orders  of  Mar- 
eellus,  they  constructed  two  temples,  bearing  the  titles 
respectively,  of  Virtus  aud  Juno 


200  B.  C. 

The  Roman  people  having  decided,  in  the  year  202,  to 
erect  a  temple  to  the  god  Mars,  and  another  to  the 
founders  of  Rome,  Romulus  and  his  brother  Remus,  both 
of  these  temples  are  completed  during  this  year. 

148  B.  C. 

The  first  temple  in  marble  is  ordered  to  be  erected  by 
the  general  Metellus,  who,  after  his  victory  over  the  king 
of  Macedonia,  dedicated  it  to  Jupiter  8tator.  Afterward 
he  ordered  the  erection  of  another  temple  at  his  own  ex- 
pense, which  lie  dedicated  to  Juno;  also,  a  remarkable 
sepulcher,  that  bears  his  name. 

125  B.  C 

The  legions,  become  masters  of  Helvetia,  there  fortified 
themselves,  and  gradually  enriched  the  country  with 
camps  and  the  cities  Augusta  Baxilia  and  Acenticum,  the 
latter  of  which  became  of  some  importance. 


266  GENERAL    HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

121  B.  C. 

A  Roman  colony,  commanded  by  Marsius,  founded 
Narbo  Marsms,  (Narbonne,)  which  became  the  principal 
head-quarters  of  the  Roman  armies  until  the  time  of 
Augustus.  The  consul  Opinius  ordered  the  construction 
at  Rome  of  the  first  court  of  justice  or  city  hall.  He  also 
ordered  the  erection  of  a  temple,  which  he  dedicated  to 
Concord. 

101  B.  C. 

After  the  victory  over  the  Cimbrians  and  the  Teutons, 
vanquished  by  Marias,  he  ordered  the  erection  in  Rome, 
under  the  special  direction  of  the  architect  C.  Musius,  a 
temple  in  honor  of  the  divinities  Honor  and  Virtue.1 

79   B.  C. 

The  ancient  city  of  Herculaneum,  in  which  were  erected 
by  the  fraternities  of  constructors  numerous  monuments  of 
art,  is  overthrown  and  buried  in  the  lava  of  an  eruption  of 
Mount  Vesuvius^  The  magnificent  monuments  with 
which  Pompeii,  no  less  celebrated  than  Herculaneum,  had 
been  ornamented  by  the  Roman  constructors,  crumbled 
and  disappeared,  in  great  part,  in  consequence  of  the  earth- 
quake that  accompanied  the  eruption  which  destroyed  the 
latter  city,  and  all  that  remains  is  covered  with  the  ashes 
and  lava  thrown  out  by  the  eruption  mentioned. 

75  B.  C. 

A  great  number  of  towns  are  erected  in  Gaul  in  the  dis- 
trict of  Narbonne.  Military  colonies  are  every-where  es- 
tablished to  maintain  the  conquered  country  against  the 

1  Up  to  this  time  architecture  partook  of  the  Etruscan  style,  arid  the  at- 
tempts made  to  embellish  the  public  temples  and  edifices  consisted  but  in 
the  ornamentation  of  statues  and  other  objects  erected  in  conquered  coun- 
tries, particularly  in  Greece;  but  from  this  time  the  predilection  of  the 
Romans  for  Greek  art  and  architecture  became  dominant,  and  the  Etruscan 
ftyle  of  architecture  was  abandoned,  as  being  too  severely  simple. 


FIRST  CHRONOLOGICAL  EPOCH.  267 

neighboring  peoples,  and  principally  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  ancient  Musxilut  (Marseilles)  founded  by  the  Pho- 
necians  in  549,  and  of  Arelate  (Aries),  of  which  the  origin 
goes  back  to  2000  years  before  Christ.  Among  those 
are  Aqua  Se.xtia  (Aix)  and  Nemausus  (Nimes),  which  be- 
came important  cities.  Arclate,  before  mentioned,  subse- 
quently became  the  capital  of  the  kingdom  of  Aries,  and 
attained  the  rank  of  a  powerful  city,  wherein  the  Masonic 
fraternities  constructed  some  sumptuous  monuments.  The 
ruins  of  an  amphitheater,  an  obelisk,  a  temple,  an  arch  of 
triumph,  and  an  aqueduct,  reveal  to  us  the  ancient  impor- 
tance of  the  residence  of  Constautine  in  this  city. 

60   B.  C. 

After  ten  years  of  almost  continual  war,  during  which, 
according  to  Plutarch,  800  villages  were  devastated,  Juliua 
Ciesar  made  himself  master  of  all  Transalpine  Gaul,  lie 
at  once  put  the  numerous  fraternities  of  constructors  at- 
tached to  his  legions  at  work,  and  ordered  the  attendance 
of  many  others  scattered  throughout  the  provinces,  to  re- 
erect,  with  the  aid  of  his  soldiers,  the  towns  and  cities 
destroyed,  and  to  render  more  beautiful  and  ornamental 
the  monuments  of  the  people.  By  his  orders  and  those  of 
his  successors,  the  following  named  cities  became  important, 
viz.:  Treviri  (Trey.es),  Remi  (Klieinis),  Rolliomayas  (Kouen), 
Cesarodanum  (Tours),  Auaricam  (Bourges),  Seitones  (Sens), 
Bardiyala  (Bordeaux),  Vesonlio  (Besancon),  Luydunum 
(Lyons),  Vieouut,  Tolosa  (Toulouse),  and  Latetia  or  Parisie 
(Paris).  A  great  many  other  cities  are  erected  by  the 
colleges,  such  as  Geryobia,  Xelodanum,  Avaricam,  etc.,  but 
none  of  them  attained  the  importance  of  the  above. 
Treves  was  subsequently  chosen  as  the  residence  of  the 
pr^ect_Qr_govQ\-uor  of  the  Gauls. 

55  B.  C. 

Britain,  conquered  in  part  at  this  time,  some  reinforce- 


268  GENERAL  HISTORY   OF    FREEMASONRY. 

ments  of  constructors  were  sent  there  to  establish  more  ex- 
tended fortifications.  Under  the  command  of  Jjjiius_Cresar, 
one  of  his  legions  pushed  further  into  the  country,  and,  to 
hold  its  ground,  there  constructed  an  intrenched  camp,  with 
walls,  inside  of  which  the  constructors  immediately  erected, 
as  elsewhere,  habitations,  temples,  aqueducts,  etc.,  and  in 
this  manner  gave  birth  to  JE&o.ractfm^York),  a  cit£_cele- 
brated  in  the  history  of  Freemasonry. 

50   B.  C. 

"While  Julius  Cresar  pushed  his  conquests,  and  destroyed 
druid  altars  and  celtic  monuments,  Pompey  erected  in 
Rome  numerous  temples  and  the  famous  amphitheater, 
builtof_white  marble,  capable  of  containing  thirty  thou- 
sand persons.  He  also,  under  the  direction  of  The  ttaterni- 
ties  of  architects,  constructed  the  not  less  famous  road  which 
led  from  Rome  through  Italy  across  the  Alps  into  Gaul. 
Julius  Caesar,  upon  his  return  to  Rome,  also  ordered  the 
construction  of  many  temples,  of  which  he  dedicated  one 
each  to  Mars,  Venus  Genitrix,  and  Apollo.  All  the  col- 
leges located  in  the  cities  of  Cisalpine  Gaul  (actual  Italy) 
are  called  together  by  him  and  sent  to  Carthage  and  Cor- 
inth to  reerect  those  ruined  cities. 

45  B.  C. 

The  Roman  senate,  after  the  civil  war,  ordered  to  be 
erected,  by  the  colleges  of  constructors,  many  monuments 
of  different  kinds,  in  honor  of  Julius  Caesar,  among  which 
were  tour  temples,  dedicated  respectively  to  Liberty,  Con- 
cord, Happiness,  and  Mercy.  In  the  year  42  the  triumvirs 
of  Rome  erected  a  temple  to  Isis  and  another  to  Serapis. 

41  B.  C. 

A  military  colony  is  established  on  the  site  of  a  Gallic 
village,  at  the  confluence  of  the  Rhone  and  Saone,  and 
there  is  founded  Jjuydunurn,  (Lyons.)  [It  was  burnt,  re- 


FIRST  CHRONOLOGICAL  EPOCH.  269 

erected  by  ISTero,  and  beautifully  embellished  by  Trajan. 
Lugdunum  became  afterward  the  capital  of  Gaul,  the  seat 
ol  government,  and  the  imperial  residence  during  the  voy- 
ages of  the  emperor  Augustus  and  the  majority  of  his 
successors.] 

37  B.  C. 

The  Roman  legions,  stationed  along  tbe  "Rhine  to  pro- 
tect Gaul  against  the  continual  aggressions  of  the  German 
peoples,  formed  at  many  points  intrenched,  camps,  which 
became  strong  colonies.  Colonia  Agrippina  (Cologne)  had 
its  origin  in  this  manner.  It  was  enlarged  at  this  time, 
and  invested  with  the  rights  of  a  Roman  city,  under  the 
emperor  Claudius. 

35  B.  C. 

The  ^firiJJJLfiO"!  at  Rome,  is  finished  under  Marcus 
Agrippa,  who  also  constructed  some  superb  hot  baths, 
which  bore  his  own  name.  The  great  road  from  Rome, 
crossing  Cisalpine  Gaul  and  the  valley  of  Ostia  to  Lyons, 
is  continued  by  his  orders,  under  the  direction  of  the 
fraternities  of  constructors,  in  four  main  directions,  viz.: 
First'to  Aquitaine,  by  Auvergne;  second,  to  the  Rhine; 
third,  to  Laon,  by  Burgundy  and  Picardy ;  fourth,  to 
Marseilles,  by  Narbonne. 

32  B.  C. 

The  Roman  legions  who  located  themselves  at  Lutefia, 
(Paris,)  under  Julius  Caesar,  there,  side  by  side  with  the 
Gallic  altars  erected  to  Teuton  gods,  erected  temples  to 
Isis  and  Mithra. 

30  B.  C. 

The  reign  of  Augustus  is  fruitful  in  great  constructions. 
The  fraternities  of  architects  are  greatly  increased,  and  a 
certain  number  form  themselves  into  special  colleges  for 


270  GENERAL    HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

the  branches  which  occupy  their  attention  more  particu- 
larly, viz.:  naval  and  hydraulic  architecture.  The  ex- 
tensive knowledge  of  these  men,  initiated  into  themys- 
teries  of  every  art,  the  humanitarian  principles  which  they 
profess,  their  tolerance  and  their  mysterious  organization, 
surround  them  with  such  consideration,  that  all  the  dis- 
tinguished men  seek  admittance  into  their  association. 

The  most  considerable  monuments  at  this  time  erected 
by  them,  at  Rome,  are  the  temple  of  JiijnterJTonans,  the 
theater  commenced  under  the  consulate  of  Cjlaudius  Mar- 
cellus,  the  mausoleum  that  bore  the  name  of  Augustus, 
two  arches  of  triumph,  also  named  after  him,  and  two 
Egyptian  obelisks.  In  the  Roman  provinces  we  are  un- 
able to  mention  others  among  the  monuments  erected  by 
them  at  this  time,  beyond  the  temple  of  Clitum  at  Foli- 
gui,  that  of  Jupiter  at  Pouzzoli,  of  Sibyl  at  Tivoli,  and 
the  arch  of  triumph  at  Suza.  In  Gaul  a  great  number  of 
somewhat  less  sumptuous  constructions  ornament  the  cities 
erected  and  foulided  by  the  Romans.  A  great  many 
roads,  and  particularly  that  of  Emporium,  situate  near  the 
Pyrenees,  to  the  crossing  of  the  Rhone,  are  due  to  the 
orders  of  Augustus.  The  friends  of  this  emperor  rivaled 
him  in  the  construction  of  magnificent  monuments.  Sta- 
titius  Taurus  constructed  an  amphitheater;  Marcus  Pliil- 
lippus  a  temple  to  Hercules  Musagetes;  Munatius  Plancus 
one  to  Saturn;  Lucius  Carnifucius  one  to  Diana;  and 
Lucius  Cornelius  Balbus  finished  his  great  theater  in 
stone. 

A.  D.  1. 

Augustus  erected  at  Nimes,  in  the  first  year  of  the 
Christian  era,  a  temple  in  honor  of  his  friends  Caius  and 
Lucius.1 

1  The  remains  of  this  temple  are  now  known  under  the  name  of  the 
Square  House. 


FIRST  CHRONOLOGICAL  EPOCH.  271 

A.  D.  5. 

The  Jewish  architects  are  j^rotected^  at  Rome,  where 
they  have  been  authorized,  under  Julius  Cfesar,  to  estab- 
lish synagogues.  Admitted  into  the  colleges  of  con- 
st nicto7s7^vlucli7~at  this  time,  were  the  theater  of  ITU  for- 
eign initiations,  they  instructed  them  in  the  knowledge 
of  the  Hebrew  niysteries^^a^t^pe  of  the_Egyptianr~ 

D.  10. 

The  celebrated  architect  VUruvius  Pollio  establishes  in 
his  writings  upon  architecture — works  translated  into  all 
languages — the  nourishing  condition  in  which  this  art 
existed  at  this  time  at  Koine,  lie  depicts  the  humanita- 
rian doctn n e,s_vviudbL  gCL-hajjd  m^ajj3^ith3EenaraterTal 
objects  of  the  Fraternity,  and  which,  enveloped  in  allego- 
ries ancT  illustrated  by  symbols,  formed  the  basis  of  the 
teachings  of  these  colleges. 

A.  D.  14. 

The  palace  of  the  Caesars  is  commenced  during  the 
reign  of  Tiberius.  It  was  continued  under  that  of  Cali- 
gula, and  finished  under  Domitiaru  Tiberius  erected  an 
arch  of  triumph  in  honor  oTTnsnbrother  Claudius  Drusus, 
and  another  in  honor  of  Augustus.  That  consecrated  to 
Castor  is  also  due  to  his  orders. 

The  cities  of  Pergarnus,  Nicomedia,  Mylassa,  Cesarea, 
Pouzzolea,  and  Pola,  brought  architects  and  companions 
from  Rome  to  erect  in  their  midst  temples  in  honor  of 
Augustus. 

A.  D.  25. 

The  bridge  of  Rimini,  commenced  by  Augustus,  is 
finished  under  Tiberius,  who  also  ordered  the  erection 
of  temples  in  honor  of  Proserpine,  Juno,  and  the  goddess 
Concord. 


272  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

A.  D.  41. 

A  superb  aqueduct,  which  bears  his  name,  is  constructed 
under  the  reign  of  Claudius. 

A.  D.  43. 

Some  brigades  of  constructors  are  detached  from  the 
fraternities  which  are  stationed  on  tbe  banks  of  the 
Rhine,  and  led  by  the  emperor  Claudius  to  Britain,  where 
the  legions  experience  diiJiciilty  in  maintaining  their 
ground  against  the  incursions  of  the  Scots,  The  better  to 
enable  them  to  hold  their  position,  these  brigades  of  con- 
structors erect  a  line  of  fortified  camps  and  a,  certain 
number  of  strong  castles. 

A.  D.  50. 

Architecture  at  .Rome  has  attained,  at  this  time,  its 
culminating  point.  The  collogeTof  c^sTnicToi^lI¥prTved 
of  encouragement  under  the  despotism  of  the  Emperors, 
who  by  turns  gradually  took  from  them  their  privileges, 
seem  to  have  lost  their  powers  of  architectural  conception. 
The  monuments  of  this  time  are  greatly  inferior  in  the 
elevation  of  their  character  to  those  which  placed  them 
at  the  summit  of  human  intelligence.  The  same  deca- 
dence is  observed  in  the  monuments  of  Greece,  of  which 
the  Romans  had  borrowed  their  most  beautiful  models. 
"What  contributed  to  bring  about  this  fall  in  the  architec- 
ture of  Rome  was  the  absence  from  that  city  of  all  the 
principal  men  of  talent  that  the  colleges  of  constructors 
had  produced,  and  who  had  become  celebrated  in  some 
branch  of  the  art.  Those  men  had  been  sent  by  Julius 
Cffisar  and  Augustus  into  the  conquered  provinces,  there 
to  erect  temples;  andj_in^fact,  to  give  to  those  conquered 
peoples  an  elevated  idea  of  the  science  and  art  of  their 
conquerors,  and  to  inspire  them  with  admiration  for  the 
latter.  The  colleges  of  constructors,  who  concentrated 
within  their  membership  a  great  amount  of  the  knowl- 


FIRST   CHRONOLOGICAL   EPOCH.  273 

edge  acquired  at  this  period,  thus  contributed,  by  their 
science  and  the  magnificence  of  their  constructions,  as 
much  as  did  the  arms  of  Rome  to  the  consolidation  and 
glory  of  the  Roman  power. 

Among  the  architects  or  magistri,  as  they  are  called  — 
6uch  as  Cossutius,  Caius,  Marcus  Stallius,  Menallippus, 
Cyrus,  Clautius,  Chrysippus,  Corumbus  —  who  belonged  to 
those  times,  there  were  a  certain  number  who  especially 
occupied  themselves  with  making  known,  by  their  writ- 
ings, the  theory  and  rules  of  their  art.  In  this  manner 
was  the  time  of  Vitruvius  Pollio,  Tulfitius,  Varron,  Pub- 
lius,  and  Septimus  occupied;  and  they  were  thus  enabled 
to  communicate  with  the  brethren  situated  at  a  distance 
from  the  principal  center  of  their  schools  of  architecture, 
Of  these  writings  those  of  Vitruvius  Pollio  alone  have 
come  down  to  us. 

A.  D.  54. 

The  temple  of  Bellona;  that  of  Roman  Charity;  also, 
some  baths  and  aqueducts  are  constructed  at  Rome  by  the 
orders  of  Nero,  and  bear  his  name.  This  emperor,  after 
having  set  fire  to  the  capital,  by  which  the  most  beautiful 
monuments  were  destroyed,  ordered  the  construction  of 
his  famous  palace,  called  the  palace  of  gold,  upon  which 
the  two  masters,  Severus  and  Celler,  directed  the  work. 
Under  the  preceding  reign  —  of  the  emperor  Claudius  — 
Rome  was  greatly  increased;  an  arch  of  triumph  was  dedi- 
cated to  the  Tiber,  and  a  beautiful  aqueduct,  which  bore 
the  name  of  Claudius,  was  begun. 

A.  D.  70. 

At  this  time  were  constructed,  under  the  reign  of  F. 
Vespasian,  the  famous  temple  of  Peace,  and  the  Colos- 
seum. or  Flavian  amphitheater,  capable  of 


hundred  and  ten  thousand  persons,  and  upon  which  were 
forced  to  labor  twelve  thousand  Jews,  carried  captive  to 
Rome  after  the  overthrow  of  Jerusalem. 
18 


274  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF  FREEMASONRY. 

This  amphitheater  was  not  finished  until  the  year  80, 
when,  under  Titus,  it  was  completed. 

A.  D.  80. 

Under  the  emperor  Titus  public  baths,  which  bear  his 
name,  are  completed;  he  also  constructed  a  palace.  The 
Louses  and  public  edifices,  destroyed  by  fire  the  preceding 
year,  are  not  rebuilt  until  the  reign  of  his  brother 
Domitian. 

A.  D.  85. 

The  emperor  Domitian  greatly  enlarged  and  embellished 
the  palace  of  the  Csesars ;  a  new  theater  and  many  temples 
are  erected  by  his  orders  at  Rome,  and  a  number  of  tem- 
ples in  Gaul.  He  finished  the  famous  military  road  that 
crosses  Savoy  and  Provence. 

A.  D.  90. 

The  fraternities  of  constructors  in  Britain,  by  order  of 
the  general  Agricola,  constructed  fortifications  which  ex- 
tended from  the  Gulf  of  Solway  to  where  he  had  pene- 
trated in  repulsing  the  Scots,  and  there,  with  his  legions, 
he  fixed  his  residence  to  hold  the  country. 

A.  D.  98. 

Of  numerous  celebrated  temples,  among  others  those  of 
Faunus  and  Diana,  that  of  Quirinus,  with  its  sixty-six 
columns,  is,  under  the  reign  of  Trajan,  constructed  at 
Home,  and  many  others  in  the  Roman  provinces.  At 
Amonias  is  erected  to  his  honor  an  arch  of  triumph,  while 
he  himself  orders  the  erection  of  one  in  honor  of  Vespa- 
sian Augustus,  and  another  to  Pautanus.  He  also  built 
hot  baths,  and  the  famous  circus,  capable  of  containing 
two  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  persons. 

A.  D.  120. 
New  temples  are  erected  at  Rome,  under  the  reign  of 


FIRST   CHRONOLOGICAL   EPOCH.  275 

Adrian — that  of  Venus,  among  others.  He  orders  the 
erection  of  the_^ajan_columni  in  honor  of  that  emperor, 
and  also  constructs  a  mausoleum,  known  to-day  as  the 
castle  of  St.  Angelo.  The  celebrated  architect  Apollo- 
dorus,  to  whom  were  due  the  plans  of  that  building,  is 
buiislied  for  having  spoken  the  truth.  This  emperor, 
with  indefatigable  ability,  visited  the  most  distant  prov- 
inces of  his  vast  empire.  In  Britain  he  ordered  the  con- 
struction, by  the  fraternities  of  architects,  of  an  immense 
wall,  which,  extending  from  the  Tyne  to  the  Gulf  of 
Solvvaj7,  thus  crossed  the  country  from  east  to  west,  to 
protect  the  military  colonies  from  the  continual  invasion 
of  the  Scots.  In  Spain  he  finished  temples  begun  by 
Augustus;  and  it  is  to  his  orders  are  due  several  temples 
erected  in  Africa,  particularly  those  which  to-day  are  to 
be  seen  in  Algiers  and  Tunis.  Asia  is  equally  indebted 
td  him  for  numerous  public  monuments;  but  it  was 
Greece  that  was  particularly  favored  by  his  constructive 
genius,  and/in  which  country  he  ordered  the  erection  of 
the  most  celebrated  of  her  temples,  such  as  the  Pantheon 
and  the  temples  to  Jupiter  Panhellenes,  and  that  to 
Jupiter  Olympus,  with  its  one  hundred  and  twenty-two 
columns. 

A.  D.  130. 

After  the  fall  of  the  Roman  Republic,  all  the  other 
corporations  founded  at  the  same  time  as  the  colleges  of 
constructors  by  Numa  Pompilius,  have  lost  their  ancient 
privileges,  in  consequence  of  the  distrust  entertained  for 
them  by  the  despotic  emperors.  The  colleges  of  con-1' 
structors  are  also  restrained  by  Trajan  and  Adrian,  but 
their  love  of  glory  and  luxury  made  it  necessary  that  these 
colleges  should  be  allowed  to  retain  their  privileges  nearly 
intact;  for,  without  the  aid  of  the  artist  constructors,  all 
hope  of  transmitting  to  posterity  the  grandeur  of  their 
names  and  actions  would  have  been  vain. 


276  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

A.  D.  140. 

Under  Antoninus  the  temples  of  Mars,  of  Faustinus  and 
Antoninus  Pius  are  erected  at  Rome,  besides  many  others 
already  begun  are  finished.  He  orders  the  construction  of 
another  wall  in  Britain,  where  the  legions  are  unceasingly 
menaced  by  the  Scots.  This  immense  wall,  which  ex- 
tended from  the  Forth  to  the  Clyde,  required  the  aid  of 
the  natives  for  its  completion,  ma.ny  of  whom 


corporated  in  the  fraternities  of  the  Romans,  and  learned 
their  art.  But  that  which,  above  all,  distinguished  the 
reign  of  Antoninus  are  the  magnificent  edifices  of  colossal 
dimensions  which  he  constructed  at  Balbec,  (Heliopolis,) 
of  which  the  two  principal  temples,  dedicated  to  the  sun, 
are  inexplicable  marvels  of  masonry.  It  was  by  the 
Masonic  fraternities,  remains  of  the  ancient  Roman  col- 
leges, who,  in  the  time  of  the  Christian  persecutions 
ordered  by  Nero,  Domitian,  and  Trajan,  sought  refuge  in 
those  provinces  the  most  distant  from  Rome,  and  which 
were  governe^F^nnrTelTltnor^TriTmane  than  the  emperors, 
that  those  masterpieces  of  architectural  grandeur  were 
erected. 

A.  D.  166. 

The  famous  road  which,  leading  from  Civita  Yecchia, 
—  at  the  Aurelian  Forum—  to  Aries,  is  commeiicecTGy  "the 
colleges  of  constructors,  under  the  orders  of  Marcus  Au- 
relius,  and  finished  during  his  reign.  Most  of  the  mem- 
bers. of  the  colleges  of  constructors  embrace  Christianity. 
At  this  time  their  number  had  greatly  increased,  asTwell 
in  Rome  as  in  the  provinces.  The  emperor  Marcus  Au- 
relius,  greatly  irritated  in  view  of  the  astonishing  progress 
made  by  the  new  doctrine,  and  wishing  to  destroy  it  by 
force,  followed  the  example  of  his  predecessors,  and  this 
year  ordained  new  persecutions  against  the  Christiana. 
In  consequence  many  took  refuge  in  Gaul  and  Britain  — 
particularly  within  the  latter  country  —  where  they  found, 


FIRST  CHRONOLOGICAL  EPOCH.  277 

among   the    Masonic   corporations,   that   protection   they 
sought  for  in  vain  elsewhere. 

Numbers  of  Christian  Masons,  finding  themselves  unable 
to  leave  Rome,  sought  in  the  catacombs  a  secret  asylum, 
in  which  to  sustain  themselves  against  the  bloody  edicts 
launched  at  them,  and  to  escape  the  punishment  to  which 
they  are  condemned.  It  is  in  the  dark  bosom  of  these 
bubterranean  caverns  that-they  often  met  in  fraternal  em- 
brace with  their  fellow  religionists,  with  whom  they  found 
refuge.  During  the  ten  years  of  continued  persecution 
against  the  Christians,  under  Marcus  Aurelius,  these  cata- 
combs are  transformed  by  those  Christian  artists  into 
churches,  ornamented  with  sarcophagi,  paintings,  and 
encaustic  adornment — the  faith  that  inspired  them  induc- 
ing them  to  there  erect  chapels  over  the  graves  of  martyred 
fellow-Christians,  and  thus  the  tombs  which  covered  their 
precious  remains  became  altars  fox-sacrifice  and  prayer. 
The  number  of  the  martyrs  augmenting,  these  .chapels 
were  subsequently  replaced  by  sarcophagi,  which,  in  later 
times  marked  the  places  in  which  their  remains  reposed. 

A.  D.  180. 

Some  temples  and  hot  baths  are  constructed  by, order  of 
the  emperor  Titus.  He  also  ordered  the  erection  of  pillars 
in  honor  of  Antonius  and  Marcus  Aurelius.  The  members 
of  the  corporations  of  constructors  are  atrociously  perse- 
cuted anew  for  their  doctrine,  and  of  them  those  who 
escaped  fled  to  the  east.  In  this  manner  the  constructors 
were  driven  from  the  city  of  their  birth,  and  none  re- 
mained but  the  few  who  had  not  been  converted  to 
Christianity. 

A.  D.  193. 

i 

A  temple  to  Minerva,  an  arch  of  triumph  to  Rome,  and 
another  to  Yalabro,  in  honor  of  Septimus  Severus,  are  the 
only  important  monuments  erected  at  Rome  under  the 
reign  of  this  emperor.  In  Britain,  in  the  year  207,  he 


278  GENERAL  HISTORY   OF    FREEMASONRY. 

commenced  a  third  wall,  further  north,  with  the  old 
object  of  protecting  the  legions;  hut  the  fraternities,  find- 
ing themselves  unequal  in  numbers  to  the  task  of  under- 
taking a  work  so  gigantic,  accorded  to  the  Britons,  who 
had  learned  their  art,  to  assure  themselves  of  their  assist- 
ance, the  same  advantages  and  the  same  privileges  which 
they  enjoyed  themselves.1 

A.  D.  211. 

The  construction  of  many  temples,  baths,  and  a  circus, 
marked  the  reign  of  Caragalla. 

A.  D.  222. 

Under  the  reign  of  Alexander  Severus,  who  openly  pro- 
tected architecture,  and  secretly  Christianity,  some  new 
monuments  are  erected  at  Rome.  He  ordered  the  restora- 
tion of  many  ancient  edifices,  and  the  erection  of  a  city 
hall  and  magnificent  baths.  He  desired  also  to  consecrate 
a  temple  to  Christ,  but  was  restrained  in  so  doing  by  the 
representations  made  to  him  that,  were  he  to  do  so,  the 
other  temples  would  go  to  ruin. 

A.  D.  235. 

Numerous  new  temples  are  erected  at  Rome  and  in  the 
provinces,  under  Maximiu  and  Gordian.  By  the  former, 
amphitheaters  were  erected  in  various  cities  in  Italy,  and, 
by  the  latter,  baths  at  Rome,  that  bore  his  name. 

A.  D.  250. 

No  construction  of  any  importance  signalized  the  reigna 
of  Decius  or  Valerian,  except  the  baths  which  were  con- 
structed by  order  of  the  former.  The  new  persecutions 
directed  by  them  against  the  Christians  greatly  diminished 

1  The  most  important  of  the  military  colonies  at  this  time  in  Britain  was 
Eboracum — the  city  of  York — which  became  celebrated  in  the  history  of 
Freemasonry. 


FIRST  CHRONOLOGICAL  EPOCH.  279 

the  colleges  of_coastructor8,  and  dispersed  such  of  their 
members — a  great  number — as  had  embraced  the  tenets 
of  that  faith  which  inculcated  the  doctrine  of  fraternity. 
Flying  from  Rome,  they  sought  refuge  in  that  country 
wherein  they  would  be  least  persecuted,  viz.,  Britain, 
where  the  new  doctrine  had  already  numerous  partisans. 
Those  who  could  not  leave  the  city  took  refuge  in  the  cata- 
combs, the  asylum  of  the  Christians. 

A.  D.  260. 

Reformation  of  the  colleges  or  fraternities  of  constructors 
injjraul  jtnd^Britain.  The  new  doctrine,  notwithstanding 
its  affinity  with  that  professed  by  the  artists,  produced, 
however,  some  schisms  among  them — a  portion  of  those 
who  belonged  to  different  professions  separating  themselves 
from  the  general  association,  as  it  had  existed  until  that 
time,  to  form  separate  associations,  composed  of  one  art  or 
one  trade.1 

A.  D.  270. 

The  Masonic  fraternities  in  Gaul,  as  in  Britain — whose 
members  had  generally  adopted  the  Christian  doctrine, 
devoting  themselves,  particularly  in  Gaul,  to  the  construc- 
tion of  religious  edifices — undertook  to  build  the  new 
churches  that  the  apostles,  who  came  from  Rome  in  the 
year  257,  desired  to  erect  at  Amiens,  Beauvais,  Soissons, 
Rheims,  and  Paris,  where  these  apostles  have  established 
themselves  in  the  capacity  of  bishops. 

A.  D.  275. 
This  epoch  is  marked  in  the  history  of  architecture  by 

1  Ii  is  these  associations  that  we  subsequently  find  organized  under  the 
name  of  corporations  of  arts  and  trades,  the  laws  of  which  exhibit  more  or 
less  traces  of  the  ancient  constitution  of  the  Roman  colleges,  from  which  they 
have  descended.  The  Masonic  Fraternity  preserved  only  its  antique  organ- 
ization, together  with  'ts  humanitarian  and  artistic  secrets,  and  its  privileges, 
all  of  which,  howevei;  were  very  much  modified. 


280  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

one  of  the  most  sublime  conceptions  of  the  artistic  genius 
of  the  philosopher  constructors,  executed  under  the  reign 
and  by  the  orders  of  the  emperor  Aurelian.  They  are  the 
two  temples  of  the  sun  at  Palmyra,  which  surpass  in 
beauty  and  grandeur  those  of  Heliopolis.  The  principal 
one  of  these  temples  has  four  hundred  and  sixty-four  col- 
umns, many  of  which  are  composed  of  a  single  block  of 
marble.  The  whole  number  of  columns  which  ornament 
the  two  temples  and  the  galleries  attached  to  them  is  four- 
teen hundred  and  fifty.  Aurelian  employed  the  last  .two 
years  of  his  short  reign  to,  among  other  peaceful  measures, 
the  revival  of  architecture  at  Rome,  and  in  this  project 
was  ably  assisted  by  the  Byzantine  architects,  Cleodamus 
and  Athenacus. 

A.  D.  280. 

Architects  who  have  acquired  great  celebrity  in  Britain 
are  called  by  Diocletian  to  construct  the  monuments  he 
has  designed  to  erect  in  Gaul. 

A.  D.  287-290. 

Carausius,  commanding  the  Roman  navy,  takes  posses- 
sion of  Britain  and  proclaims  himself  emperor.  To  con- 
ciliate the  Masonic  fraternities,  then  wielding  an  immense 
influence  in  the  country,  he  confirmed  to  them  at  Yerulam, 
(Saint  Albans,)  the  place  of  his  residence,  in  the  year  290, 
all  their  ancient  privileges,  as  they  had  been  established 
by  Numa  Pompilius,  in  the  year  715  B.  C.;  and  it  is  from 
this  time  that  the  Freemasons  began  to  be  distinguished 
from  those  who  were  riot  free,  or  upon  whom  these  privl- 
eges  had  not  been  bestowed. 

A.  D.  293. 

Albanus,  architect  and  first  grand  inspector  of  the  Free- 
masons in  Briton,  who  represented  the  Masonic  societies 
in  their  negotiations  with  Carausius,  originally  a  pagan, 


FIRST  CHRONOLOGICAL  EPOCH.  281 

is  converted  to  Christianity;  and,  at  the  risk  of  his  life, 
he  preaches  the  doctrines  of  the  new  faith  to  the  emperor, 
and  is  consequently  beheaded.  In  this  manner  a  grand 
master  of  Freemasons  became  the  first  Christian  martyr 
in  Britain. 

A.  D.  296. 

The  city  of  York,  in  which  are  found  the  most  impor- 
tant lodges  of  .Freemasons  in  the  country,  is  chosen  as  his 
residence  by  the  under-emperor,  Constantius  Chlorus,  who, 
upon  the  death  of  Carausius,  came  to  Britain  by  order  of 
Maxim  in,  to  assume  the  government  of  that  country. 

A.  D.  300. 

At  this  epoch  Rome  counted  within  its  walls  more  than 
five  hundred  temples,  thirty-seven  gates  and  arches  of 
triumph,  six  bridges,  seventeen  amphitheaters  and  theaters, 
fourteen  aqueducts,  five  obelisks,  and  of  monumental  col- 
umns a  great  number,  such  as  military,  warlike,  statuary, 
honorary,  legal,  (upon  which  were  engraved  the  laws,)  and 
lactary,  (at  the  base  of  which  were  laid  children  found 
astray,)  and,  finally,  palaces,  mausoleums,  baths,  and 
eepulchers  in  proportionate  number.  All  of  these  monu- 
ments, without  exception,  were  erected  by  the  fraternities 
or  colleges  of  architects  and  builders. 

A.  D.  303. 

The  empejoj  D] p^l^tian— -under  whose  reign  were  erected, 
in  many  of  the  Roman  provinces,  temples,  aqueducts,  and 
baths — distinguished  himself  particularly  by  the  most 
atrocious  persecution  of  the  Christians,  and  whom  were 
executed  with  cruelty  in  the  more  distant  provinces. 
Notwithstanding  the  humanity  of  the  (at  this  time)  gov- 
ernor of  Britain,  the  Christians,  of  whom  a  great  number 
were  members  of  the  Masonic  fraternities,  found  it  neces- 
sary to  seek  refuge  in  Scotland  and  the  Orkney  Islands, 
and  there  they  carried  Christianity  and  architecture.  It 


282  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

was  by  them  that  those  strong  and  admirably-constructed 
castles — built  in  a  style  so  peculiarly  appropriate  to  the  char- 
acter of  the  country  and  the  people — were  erected  for  the 
clans  of  the  Scots.  The  artist  constructors  attached  to  the 
colleges  established  at  Rome  also  fled  to  the  east,  or  buried 
themselves  within  the  catacombs — their  usual  refuse  in 

O 

times  of  religious  and  social  persecution — where  many  of 
them  perished. 

The  last  monuments  of  any  importance  which  were 
erected  at  Rome  were  due  to  Diocletian — the  baths  which 
he  built  surpassing,  for  grandeur  and  magnificence,  even 
those  of  Alexander  Severus;  but  the  most  remarkable 
monument  of  the  times  of  this  emperor  was  the  palace  he 
had  erected  for  himself  at  Salona,  in  Dalmatia,  and  wherein 
he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life  after  he  had  resigned 
his  government  of  the  empire. 

A.  D.  313. 

This  year  closed  the  persecutions  of  the  Christians,  and 
by  the  edict  of  Milan,  rendered  by  Constantino  the  Great, 
Christianity  was  declared  the  religion  of  the  State.  Sub- 
sequently, (A.  D.  325,)  by  the  Council  of  Nice,  in  Bythnia, 
the  forms  and  doctrines  of  the  Christian  religion  were 
arranged,  and  thereupon,  with  the  advent  of  peace,  the 
Masonic  corporations  awoke  to  new  life. 

A.  D.  325. 

The  fraternities,  no  more  persecuted  in  the  persons  of 
their  membership,  multiplied  in  Rome  with  extraordinary 
activity,  and  displayed  great  ability  and  alacrity  in  the 
construction  of  the  Christian  churches  ordered  by  Con- 
etantine.  In  the  year  323  the  first  Christian  church  was 
built  upon  the  Lateran  Hill,  and  thereafter  are  erected,  upon 
the  ground  occupied  and  in  great  part  with  the  materials 
afforded  by  the  pagan  temples  and  halls,  the  cathedrals  of 
Saint  Lawrence  of  Sessomanca,  of  Saint  Marcellus,  of 


FIRST  CHRONOLOGICAL  EPOCH.  283 

Saint  Agnes,  and  of  Saint  Constance.  Constantine  ordered 
the  erection  of  an  obelisk  to  Saint  John  of  Lateran,  and 
also  the  erection,  upon  the  Vatican,  of  a  church,  which 
was  by  him  dedicated  to  Saint  Paul.  This  church  was 
built  in  the  form  of  a  cross,  in  commemoration  of  that 
cross1  which  had  been  seen  by  him  in  the  heavens,  and 
to  which  he  attributed  his  victory  over  Maxentius.  The 
people  subsequently  erected  an  arch  of  triumph,  which 
they  dedicated  to  Constantine  the  Great. 

A.  D.  330. 

Constantine  the  Great  changes  the  name  of  Byzantia  to 
Constantinople,  and  raises  it  to  the  rank  of  capital  city  of 
the  Eastern  Roman  Empire.  At  this  place  the  building 
brethren  concentrate,  to  engage  in  the  immense  construc- 
tions which  he  projects  there.  The  church  of  St.  Sophia, 
begun  in  the  year  326,  was  the  first  Christian  churcli 
Byzantia  saw  erected  within  her  walls.  The  foundations 
of  many  others  are  laid.  A  new  style  of  architecture  is 

1The  Greek  cross,  which  wns  copied  by  Christian  architects  as  the  model 
upon  which  to  erect  all  edifices  devoted  to  Christian  worship,  was  chosen  by 
them,  not  because  Constantine  had  prescribed  this  form,  but  because  this 
cross  mysteriously  attached  itself  to  the  worship  of  every  people,  and  made 
part  of  the  symbolism  of  their  art,  and  a  knowledge  of  which  formed  a  por- 
tion of  the  secret  teachings  of  the  colleges.  This  cross  exhibits,  in  its  pro- 
portions what  are  known  as  the  sacred  numbers,  and  which  numbers  are  the 
basis  of  geometry.  It  was  also  the  form  and  base  of  the  Holy  of  Holies,  in 
the  temple  of  Solomon  ;  and,  in  a  word,  it  represents  the  unity  and  the 
trinity.  For  the  other  dispositions,  proportions,  and  details  of  the  religious 
edifices,  the  temple  at  Jerusalem — of  which  the  holy  books  of  the  Hebrews 
contained  precise  details — served  always  as  a  model;  that  temple  being 
recognized  as  the  great  masterpiece  of  architecture,  as  it  was  also  the  first 
temple  erected  and  consecrated  to  an  only  God.  It  is  this  temple  which  even 
yet,  and  in  our  own  day,  is  considered  the  most  significant  symbol  of  Free- 
masonry. The  plans  of  Christian  churches,  from  the  fourth  century  to  the 
present  time,  following  those  which  have  preceded  them,  are  derived  from  a 
mixture  of  Jewish  and  pagan  elements.  The  form  of  the  cross  was  subse- 
quently adopted  for  the  foundatiou  of  nearly  all  the  religious  edifices  of  the 
Christian  world. 


284  GENERAL   HISTORY  OF   FREEMASONRY. 

formed — the  Latin  and  Greek  intermixing  with  the  Arab, 
and  giving  birth  to  what  was""8ifbseqTfenTTy^uowii  a¥the 
^Byzantine,  which  was  not  distinctly  developed  until  the 
eighth  century. 

The  emperor  Constantine,  who  had  proclaimed  that  the 
sign  of  the  cross  should  ornament  the  imperial  standard, 
continued,  nevertheless,  to  sacrifice  to  the  gods  of  pagan- 
ism. He  despoiled  Rome,  Athens,  Rhodes,  Chios,  Cyprus, 
and  Sicily  of  their  riches  and  their  monuments  of  past-time 
art;  and  thus  the  cities  of  Italy,  Greece,  and  Asia  Minor 
furnished  him  with  works  of  art  wherewith  to  adorn  the 
new  capital  of  his  empire. 

The  Masonic  fraternities,  who,  during  the  persecutions 
of  the  Christians,  had  taken  refuge  in  Syria  and  in  Pales- 
tine, are  now,  by  the  orders  of  Constantine,  occupied  in 
those  provinces  in  the  erection  of  churches.  Heliopolis, 
Jerusalem,  and  the  village  of  Beth]£k&m  are  the  places 
wherein  the  first  of  these  churches  were  constructed;  and 
subsequently  he  ordered  the  erection  of  the  church  of  the 
Holy  Sepulcher,  at  Jerusalem.  In  Syria  and  Palestine  the 
Masonic  corporations  greatly  increased,  and  extended  into 
the  borders  of  Arabia  and  countries  beyond  the  Roman 
empire. 

A.  D.  340. 

The  Masonic  fraternities  continued  to  increase  in  By- 
^zantia.  All  those  who  had  acquired  celebrity  in  religious 
architecture,  such  as  constructors,  sculptors,  and  painters, 
sought  occupation  within  this  great  city,  and  therein 
helped  to  complete  the_twjnty:_three  churches  which,  in 
ten  years,  were  erected  inside  its  walls. 

A.  D.  355-360. 

The  emperor  Julian,  who  at  this  time  commanded  in 
Gaul,  ordered  the  construction  at  Paris,  which  had  become 
the  capital  of  the  Parisians,  a  magnificent  temple,  with  vast 
baths,  the  ruins  of  which  may  be  seen  in  the  Rue  de  la 


FIRST    CHRONOLOGICAL   EPOCH.  285 

Harpe  at  the  present  day.  After  his  victory  over  the 
Franks,  he  arranged  to  reside  at  Paris,  and  therein  ordered 
the  construction  of  churches  unou  the  ruins  of  pagan 
temples. 

A.  D.  380. 

During  the  incessant  invasions  of  the  Germans,  Saxons, 
and  Burgundians,  followed  by  the  Alans  and  Huns,  who 
pillaged  and  devastated  the  country,  the  Masoiiicjfraterni- 
ties  were  dispersed,  while  art  of  all  kinds,  and  more  par- 
ticularly architecture,  took  refuge  within  the  monasteries, 
where  the  ecclesiastics,  who  had  affiliated  with  the  frater- 
nities of  architects,  studied  and  preserved  the  artistic  and 
humanitarian  doctrines  of  their  art. 

A.  D.  410. 

The  Scots  and  the  Picts,  continuing  to  disturb  the  peace 
of  the  Romans  in  Britain,  and  to  destroy  their  walls  and 
fortifications,  the  latter  are  rebuilt  by  the  great  concourse 
of  MasoiiaJJcam^aJL  parts  of  the  island  of  Britain.  Even 
the  new  constructions  not  proving  adequate,  however,  to 
defend  them  from  the  constant  inroads  of  these  barbarous 
tribes,  and  the  Romans  being  attacked  upon  all  sides,  and 
their  legions  being  enfeebled  by  the  withdrawal  of  num- 
bers of  their  forces  from  Britain  to  the  continent,  they 
j udged  Jt  prudent  to  abandon  the  ialand^of  T^ntaip  entirely, 
a  decigipjOLwhich  they  carried  out,  according  to  some  au- 
thorities, in  the  year  411,  and  according  to  others  in  the 
year  426.  After  their  retreat,  the  fraternities,  who  found 
themselves  composed  of  various  elements— that  of  native 
Britons  not  being  the  least — took  refuge  where  they  might 
be  protected  by  the  Romans,  upon  the  continent,  in  Gaul, 
and  in  Scotland.  Here,  as  in  the  time  of  the  first  Chris- 
tian persecutions,  they  propagated  Chrstianity  and  archi- 
tecture, and,  above  all,  religiously  preserved  the  antique 
organization  of  their  lodges. 


286  GENERAL   HISTORY   OP   FREEMASONRY. 

A.  D.  430. 

The  Masonic  fraternities,  dispersed  and  dissolved  since 
the  beginning  of  barbarian  invasions,  which  devastated 
Gaul,  Italy,  and  even  Rome,  experience  _great_difficulty, 
notwithstanding  the  encouragement  offered  theniH5y~tlie 
clergy,  led  by  the  Popes,  to  reestablish  themselves  in  the 
latter  city.  They  commenced,  however,  to  repair  and  re- 
construct some  churches,  and  for  this  purpose  freely  helped 
themselves  with  the  materials  composing  pagan  temples. 

A.  D.  455. 

Under  Genseric  new  invasions  of  the  barbarians  every- 
where destroyed  the  public  monuments,  and  for  a  long 
time  arrested,  in  Rome  and  Italy,  all  new  constructions. 

A.  D.  476. 

Rome  is  invaded  for  jhe  sixth  time  within  the  fifth  cen- 
tury.  During  these  invasions — those  of  Alaric  in  410,  of 
Genseric  in  455,  and,  at  this  time,  of  Odoacre — the  cities 
were  sacked  Jind  burnt,  and  their  temples  and  monuments 
destroyed,  the  greater  number  of  them  never  to  be  replaced, 
and  the  masterpieces  of  art  buried  beneath  their  ruins. 
The  fraternities  of  builders,  finding  themselves,  in  these 
times  of  war,  without  occupation,  and  unprotected  in  the 
west  by  the  Roman  power,  dispersed  into  Greece  and 
Egypt,  and  many  of  them  took  up  their  residence  perma- 
nently in  Syria.  All  the  masterpieces  of  art,  wrhich  were 
at  this  time  buried  beneath  the  ruins  of  temples  overthrown 
or  destroyed,  subsequently  served  to  ornament  Christian 
churches,  and  the  palaces  and  museums  of  the  affluent  in 
various  parts  of  the  continent. 

A.  D.  500. 

The  remains  of  ancient  fraternities,  who  had  sought 
refuge  in  other  countries,  appear  in  Rome,  and  endeavor 


FIRST   CHRONOLOGICAL   EPOCH.  287 

to  revive  the  colleges  of  builders.     Architecture  revives, 
and  some  of  the  churches  are  repaired  and  reconstructed. 


A.  D.  525. 

The  example  of  Rome  is  imitated  in  Gaul;  and  every- 
where such  beautiful  temples  as  were  erected  to  the  gods 
of  the  Romans,  and  which  hitherto  have  escaped  the  de- 
structive tendency  of  the  international  invasions,  are  de- 
stroyed to  give  place  to  and  with  the  remains  of  which 
churches  are  built  and  consecrated  to  the  saints.  Under 
the  reign  of  Childeric  (460-481),  of  Clovis  (481-511),  of 
Clothaire  (511-561),  who  have  protected  the  Masonic  cor- 
porations and  encouraged  their  labors,  there  are  erected 
\nany  churches.  The  fraternities  of  Roman  architects,  as 
well  as  those  of  Gaul,  who  remained  in  the  country  after 
the  retreat  of  the  Romans  (486),  are  recognized  and  con- 
firmed in  their  ancient  privileges. 

A.  D.  530. 

Some  fragments  of  the  Roman  colleges,  which  had  taken 
up  their  residence  in  Syria,  are  called,  at  different  times, 
by  the  kings  of  Persia  to  erect  monuments  of  a  public 
character,  bearing  the  characteristics  of  the  Persian  taste. 
Latin,  Greek,  and  Byzantine  styles  here  enter  into  a  new 
intermarriage,  with  the  pomp  and  display  of  Persian 
magnificence. 

A.  D.  550. 

By  order  of  Justinian  I,  the  great  church  of  St.  Sophia, 
at  Constantinople,  is  constructed  by  a  fraternity  of  Greek 
architects,  over  the  remains  of  that  erected  by  Constantine 
the  Great,  which  had  been  destroyed  by  fire. 

This  monument,  converted  by  the  Turks  into  an  impe- 
rial mosque,  is  the  most  magnificent  conception  of  our 
time,  as  it  was  of  that  most  flourishing  period  when  art 


288  GENERAL   HISTORY   OP   FREEMASONRY. 

received  its  most  powerful  impulse.1  The  Masonic  frater- 
nities of  Byzantia  and  other  provinces  of  the  empire, 
spreading  themselves  at  this  time  into  Italy,  Sardinia, 
Corsica,  and  a  part  of  Africa,  submitted  once  more  to  be 
swayed  by  the  scepter  of  their  ancient  masters.  These 
countries,  relieved  of  the  rule  of  the  Goths  and  Vandals, 
encouraged  the  erection  of  religious  monuments,  for  which 
the  great  church  of  St.  Sophia  served  as  the  model. 
Subsequently  (726)  all  these  monuments  were  destroyed 
during  the  revolutions  which  prevailed  under  the  icono- 
clastic emperors. 

A.  D.  557. 

Austin,  a  Benedictine  monk  and  architect,  arrived  in 
England  for  the  purpose  of  converting  the  Anglo- Saxons' 
to  Christianity.  He  placed  himself  at  the  head  of  the 
Masonic  fraternities,  and  lifted  them  out  of  the  many 
difficulties  into  which  they  had  fallen  during  the  last 
wars. 

A.  D.  580. 

At  this  time  the  Freemasons  became  fully  recognized 
in  Britain,  by  the  fact  that  their  numbers  were  insufficient 
to  execute  the  immense  constructions  projected  by  the 

1  Justinian  I,  in  reconstructing  the  great  church  of  St.  Sophia,  con- 
fided the  general  direction  to  two  Greek  architects.  These  were  assisted 
by  one  hundred  master  workmen,  who  had  each  one  hundred  workmen 
to  execute  their  orders,  and  each  of  whom  had  ten  laborers  under  their 
direction.  Five  thousand  men  were,  in  this  manner,  employed  on  each 
side  of  the  building;  and  in  the  sixteenth  year  from  the  commencement 
of  its  construction  it  was  finished,  and  inaugurated  by  the  slaughter  of 
one  thousand  oxen,  ten  thousand  sheep,  six  hundred  stags,  one  thousand 
hogs,  ten  thousand  hens  and  ten  thousand  pullets,  which,  with  thirty 
thousand  measures  of  grain,  were  distributed  to  the  people.  Justinian, 
having  expended  enormous  sums  for  the  erection  of  this  construction, 
was  forced  to  order  taxes  to  be  levied  for  its  completion.  It  is  said 
that  before  the  walls  had  risen  three  feet  above  the  ground,  he  had 
expended  four  hundred  and  fifty-two  hundred  weight  of  golden  com 


FIRST  CHRONOLOGICAL    EPOCH.  289 

new  apostles  of  Christianity.  In  their  voyages  to  Rome, 
whither  they  went  to  collect  statues  and  pictures  where- 
with to  adorn  the  churches  in  Britain,  these  apostles 
always  returned  bringing  with  them  workmen,  sculptors, 
and  painters;  and  the  bishop  of  Weymouth  imported  from 
Gaul  into  Britain  men  of  like  professions  in  great  number. 

A.  D.  600-602. 

During  these  years  the  cathedrals  of  Canterbury  and 
Rochester  were  erected. 

A.  D.  607. 

The  cathedral  of  St.  Paul,  at  London,  begun  in  604,  ia 
finished,  and  that  of  St.  John,  at  Winchester,  begun  in 
605. 

A.  D.  G10. 

Death  of  Austin,  grand  inspector  of  the  Freemasons. 
He  is  subsequently  cancmized  under  the^  name  of_J3k 
Augustine. 

A.  D.  620. 

The  Masonic  corporations  at  this  time,  although  gov- 
erned by  the  same  laws  and  characterized  by  the  same 
principles,  partook  not  every-where  of  the  same  qualifi- 
cations, or  rather  they  were  known  by  different  names  in 
different  countries.  For  instance,  in  Italy  they  were 
known  as  the  Colleges  of  Architects  or  Builders,  and 
oftentimes  simply  as  the  Masonic  Fraternities;  while  in 
Gaul  they  were  called  Brother  Masons,  Brother  Bridgers, 
(bridge-builders,)  or  Free  Corporations;  and  in  Britain, 
by  reason  of  their  well-known  privileges,  they  were  called 
Freemasons.  At  this  time  they  are  all  employed  exclu- 
sively by  the  religious  orders,  directed  by  them,  and  even 
quartered  in  the  monasteries.  The  abbot,  or  such  other 
ecclesiastic  as  may  be  sufficiently  acquainted  with  the 
rules  and  practice  of  architecture,  upon  this  account,  pre- 
19 


290  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

eidcs  over  the  meeting's  of  the  lodges — general  assembly 
of  all  the  artists  and  workmen — and,  consequently,  is  ad- 
dressed in  such  assembly  as  Worshipful  Master.  [To  the 
present  time  does  this  title  attach  to  the  presiding  officer 
in  a  lodge  of  Freemasons.] 

A.  D.  G60. 

The  arts  and  architecture  take  refuge  within  the  mon- 
asteries, whenever  their  progress  is  arrested  or  paralyzed 
by  international  wars.  There  they  are  cultivated  with 
success  by  the  most  distinguished  ecclesiastics,  who  are 
admitted  as  members  of  the  Masonic  fraternities.  It  was 
also,  in  great  part,  according  to  the  designs  and  plans 
drawn  by  these  ecclesiastics  that  the  corporations  executed 
the  religious  monuments  of  this  time.  The  monastic 
schools  of  architecture  not  only  produced  some  ecclesiastics 
celebrated  as  architects,  such  as  St.  Eloi,  bishop  of  Noyon 
(659);  St.  Ferol,  bishop  of  Limoges;  Dalrnac,  bishop  of 
Rhodes;  Agricola,  bishop  of  Chalons  (680-700);  but  they 
also  gave  to  the  profession  of  architecture  laymen  not  !(?:•« 
distinguished,  and  under  whose  direction  numerous  public 
monuments  were  erected  in  Gaul  and  Britain. 

A.  D.  680. 

The  Freemasons  of  Britain,  having  remained  without 
a  chief  since  the  death  of  Austin,  the  king  of  Mersey, 
grand  protector  of  the  Fraternity,  appointed  Bonnet,  abbot 
of  "Wirral,  inspector-general  and  superintendent  of  Ma- 
sonry. Nevertheless,  the  labors  of  the  Fraternity  were 
conducted  with  but  little  spirit  during  a  century. 

A.  D.  685. 

The  Masonic  fraternities  of  Roman  origin,  who  had 
been  ordered  into  the  East,  and  many  of  \vhom  had  re- 
mained in  Constantinople,  acquired  great  reputation,  and 
were  successively  sought  for  by  Persian,  Arabian,  and 


FIRST  CHRONOLOGICAL  EPOCH.  291 

Syrian  potentates.  Among  others,  the  caliphs  of  Damas- 
cus and  Medina  intrusted  to  them  the  erection  of  the 
mosques  of  those  cities. 

A.  D.  700. 

-Architecture  has  attained  at  this  time  a  high  degree 
.//  perfection  in  England,1  the  style  and  expression  of  the 
edifices  presenting  exclusively  the  characteristics  of  what 
was  then  known  as  Scottish  architecture,  which,  at  this 
time,  was  considered  among  the  Trafernity  the  most  per- 
fect in  outlines  and  details,  and  the  masters  of  it  the  most 
learned  of  any  of  the  brethren.  On  this  account  they 
were  called  Scottish  Masters. 

A.  D.  720. 

The  progress  that  architecture  had  made  in  Gaul,  in  tho 
course  of  the  last  century  and  the  early  part  of  the  present, 
was  arrested  by  the  incursion  of  the  Arabs,  in  the  year 
718,  and  remained  in  a  paralytic  condition  for  many 
years. 

A.  D.  740. 

Upon  the  demand  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  kings,  ^Charles 
Martej,  who  had  at  this  time  governed  Gaul  as  "Mayor 
of  the  Palace,"  jent  to  Britain  many  architects  and 
Masons. 

A.  D.  750. 

Under  the  reign  of  the  caliph  of  Bagdad,  architecture 

1  Wlieu  Honurius  abandoned  Britain,  in  420,  in  consequence  of  his  inability 
to  hold  the  country  against  the  invasions  of  the  I'icts  and  Scots,  the  Britons 
called  to  their  aid,  for  that  purpose,  the  Angles  and  the  Saxons.  After  mak- 
ing themselves  masters  of  the  country,  the  latter  founded  within  it  four 
kingdoms,  and  the  former  founded  three,  which  in  827  were  united,  under  the 
general  name  of  Angle-land,  with  the  Saxon  king  Egbert  as  ruler.  In  83-3 
the  Danes  and  Normans  desolated  the  country,  but  between  871  and  '.KM) 
Alfred  ihe  Great  forced  them  to  terms  of  peace.  Shortly  afterward,  howevor 
they  invaded  the  country  anew,  nnd  nearly  all  the  public  monuments 
churches,  and  monasteries  became  a  prey  to  fire  and  pillage. 


202  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMAb'^NRY. 

and  the  arts  generally  attained  to  a  high  degree  of  per- 
fection. Arabia,  at  this  time,  exhibited  a  degree  of  civil- 
ization far  in  advance  of  that  known  in  Asia  or  Africa. 
The  fra tern ities.jof —architects  who,  after  the  fall  of  the 
Roman  Empire  of  the  West,  remained  in  Syria  and  Arabia, 
contributed  in  a  great  degree,  by  their  knowledge  of  ait, 
to  the  splendor  and  reputation  Bagdad  at  this  time 
enjoyed. 

A.  D.  775. 

Arabian  architecture  is  introduced  into  Spain,  under  the 
rule  of  the  caliphs  of  the  East,  and  directed,  as  it  was 
every-where,  by  the  Masonic  associations.  These  corpora- 
tions, called  from  Bagdad  by  the  viceroys  of  the  caliphs 
to  Cordova — a  city  founded  by  the  Romans  252  years 
before  the  birth  of  Christ — there  successively  erected  a 
series  of  marvelous  monuments,  inspired  by  Byzantine 
art.  The  organization  of  these  corporations  is  unknown, 
and  they  were,  no  doubt,  subjected — in  contradistinction 
to  those  of  the  Roman  colleges,  from  which  they  de- 
scended— to  modifications  according  with  the  manners 
and  character  of  the  people  among  whom  these  associa- 
tions had  place;  but  it  is  not  probable  that  there  was  any 
essential  difference.  The  Mussulmans^  we  re,  at  this  time, 
more  advanced  in  the  scale  of  art  and  civilization  than 
the  Christians,  and  consequently  they  exercised  very  con- 
siderable influence  in  the  various  provinces  of  the  Penin- 
sula. 

Abderam  I,  viceroy  of  Cordova  under  the  caliph  of 
Damascus,  having  declared  his  independence  of  the  Da- 
mascene, enriched  his  caliphate,  the  city  of  Cordova,  with 
so  great  a  degree  of  splend  >r  that  the  character  of  the 
architecture  therein  exhibited  created  a  school  of  archi- 
tecture, whose  reputation  was  only  equaled  by  the  mag- 
nificence of  its  monuments.  From  this  time  that  city 
became  the  center  of  Moorish  art. 


FIRST   CHRONOLOGICAL   EPOCH.  293 

A.  D.  780. 

Under  the  reigrrof -Ghaxlemag^iiejirchitecture  flourished 
anew  in  France,  that  monarch  having  invited  from  Lom- 
bardy  numbers  of  architects  and  workmen,  who  were  then 
generally  called  stone-cutters 

A.  D.  850. 

Many  religious  edifices,  burnt  or  destroyed  by  the  Danes, 
are  reconstructed  by  the  corporations  under  the  Saxoii 
king  Ethel  wolf,  and  the  immediate  direction  of  the  priest 
and  architect  St.  Swithin.  At  this  time  were  renewed 
the  meetings  of  the  brethren,  which  were  much  inter- 
rupted during  the  previous  century. 

A.  D.  875. 

Under  the  reign  of  that  most  illustrious  of  Saxon  kings, 
Alfred  the  Great,  the  arts,  and  particularly  architecture, 
flourished.  The  fraternities  rebuilt  the  towns,  castles, 
monasteries,  and  churches,  which  were  destroyed  during 
the  Danish  wars. 

A.  D.  900. 

The  successor  of  Alfred,  Edward  king  of  Mersey,  ap- 
pointed, as  grand  inspectors  of  the  fraternities,  his  brother 
Ethel  ward,  and  his  brother-in-law,  Ethred,  who  had  be- 
come practica^  architects  in  the  school  of  the  Freemasons. 

A.  D.  925. 

At  this  time  all  the  more  important  towns  in  England 
had  their  lodge  of  Freemasons;  but,  notwithstanding  the 
geneTat~contbrmity  oT  their  laws  and  principles,  but  little 
connection  existed  between  them.  The  cause  of  this  is 
explained  by  the  fact  that,  for  the  five  centuries  in  which 
existed  the  heptarchy,  or  seven  Anglo-Saxon  kingdoms, 
there  was  little  connection  between  those  brethren  scat- 


294  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

tered  throughout  the  kingdoms;  and,  following  the  union 
of  the  government,  the  wars  of  the  Danes  kept  the  coun- 
try in  a  condition  into  which  the  arts  of  peace  entered 
but  in  the  smallest  proportion.  During  these  wars  the 
monasteries  Jbein^Jburnt,  the  fraternities  suffered  an  irre- 
parable loss  in  the  destruction  of  all  their  documents, 
written  in  various  languages  and  at  various  times,  brought 
into  the  country  by  the  Romans,  Greeks,  Syrians,  Lom- 
bards, and  Gauls.  Athelstan.  the  grandson  of  Alfred  the 
Great,  who  at  this  time  governed  England,  with  his  palace 
at  York,  having  been  elected  as  their  chief  by  the  priest 
architects — himself  an  architect  before  he  ascended_  the 
throne — had  also  inducted  hisyoungerson  (Edwin)  into  the 
mysteries  of  art,  and  appointed  him  chief  or  grand  master 
of  the  Fraternity.  In  this  position  the  latter  convoked 
all  the  lodges  scattered  throughout  the  country  to  a  general 
assembly,  to  be  held  at  York,  and  there  to  present  all  the 
documents  and  deeds  which  they  had  saved  from  the  lire 
of  the  invaders,  to  the  end  that  the  Fraternity  be  regu- 
larly constituted  anew,  according  to  the  forms  of  those 
written  laws.  It  was  at  this  assembly  that  a  constitution, 
prepared  and  submitted  by  the  king,  was  discussed  and 
accepted  by  the  representatives  of  the  lodges,  and  thence- 
forth proclaimed  as  the  law.  Promulgated  the  following 
year,  this  constitution,  styled  the  Charier  of  York,  formed 
the  basis  of  all  subsequent  Masonic  constitutions.  Thence- 
forth York  became  the  seat  of  the  grand  mastership  of 
English  Masonry. 

A.  D.  930. 

Henry  I  (the  Fowler)  invites  from  England  to  Germany 
the  corporations  of  Freemasons,  for  the  purpose  of  con- 
structing edifices  projected  by  him,  such  as  the  cathedrals 
of  Madgeburg,  etc.  These  edifices  were  not  erected,  how- 
ever, until  the  subsequent  reign — that  of  his  son,  Otho 
the  Great. 


FIRST  CHRONOLOGICAL  EPOCH.  295 

A.  D.  936. 

The  Arabian  fraternities  of  Masons  and  artists,  of  Ro- 
man origin,  commence  this  year  the  construction  of  that 
famous  royal  castle  Alcazar,  that  was  built  for  the  caliph 
Abderam  at  Zara,  near  Seville,  and  ornamented  with  four 
thousand  three  hundred  columns  of  purest  marble.  This 
prince  invited  the  most  skillful  and  learned  architects  of 
Bagdad  and  Constantinople  to  direct  and  aid  the  frater- 
nities of  the  country  in  their  labors  upon  this  important 
and  magnificent  edifice. 

A.  D.  940. 

The  queen — Bertha  of  Burgundy — wishing  to  renew 
the  prosperity  of  her  country,  which  had  been  devastated 
and  demoralized  by  the  wars,  sent  to  England  for  masters 
and  workmen,  who,  under  the  direction  of  a  Scottish 
master  named  Mackeubrey,  undertook  a  series  of  con- 
structions to  be  consecrated  as  churches  and  convents, 
which  they  executed  with  astonishing  rapidity,  and  con- 
summate skill.  The  abbot,  Majolus  of  Cluny,  had  the 
superior  direction  of  these  great  erections,  which  were 
commenced  in  the  year  930.  The  grandest  and  most 
magnificent  of  these  constructions  were  the  abbey  and  the 
church  of  the  Benedictines  at  Pay  erne.  From  this  time 
the  Masonic  corporations  of  England  spread  themselves 
upon  the  continent,  under  the  name  of  St.  John  Brothers. 

A.  D.  960. 

The  death  of  king  Athelstan  again  disperses  the  Free- 
masons of  England.  Some  of  the  most  important  con- 
structions are,  however,  undertaken  during  the  reign  of 
Edgar,  under  the  grand  mastership  of  Dunstan,  (St.  Dun- 
stan,)  archbishop  of  Canterbury.  Many  of  the  brethren 
pass  over  to  Germany,  and  there  permanently  locate 
themselves,  under  the  name  of  St.  John  Brothers,  and 
Brothers  of  St.  John. 


296  GENERAL   HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 


ISpocf). 

From  the  year  1001  to  the  year  1717. 


A.  D.  1001. 

In  the  course  of  the  tenth  century  the  Christian  popu- 
lation of  the  west  found  themselves  under  the  influence 
of  an  unhappy  discouragement,  which  had  seized  upon 
their  spirits,  in  consequence  of  the  predictions  that  the 
end  of  the  world  might  he  expected  at  this  time,  and  the 
result  of  which  was  their  abandonment  of  all  works  of 
art.  The  artists,  and  principal ly  the  fraternities  of  Ma- 
sons, condemned  to  inaction,  fall  into  the  miseries  and 
unhappiness  of  the  times.  The  schools  of  architecture  of 
Lombardy,  at  Padua,  and  at  C.OJIKV  are  llot>  however, 
entirely  deserted.  The  learned  architects  of  these  schools, 
initiated — as  had  been  those  of  Egypt — into  the  secrets 
of  nature  and  the  study  of  astronomy,  happily  did  not 
partake  of  this  general  terror,  which  was  invented  by  the 
priests,  for  selfish  purposes;  and  such  schools  continued 
to  teach,  as  in  times  past. 

A.  D.  1003. 

No  unnatural  movement  having  thrust  our  planet  from 
its  course,  the  people  welcomed  with  joy  the  aurora  of  a 
new  world;  and  it  is  from  this  epoch  it  is  proper  to  date 
modern  civilization.  The  terror  of  the  Christian  world 
had  continued  to  the  close  of  this  year,  as  the  reign  of 
Antichrist,  it  was  believed,  would  continue  for  two  years 
and  a  half  subsequent  to  the  year  1000;  and  now  art  and 
society  in  general  awoke  from  their  long  trance,  to  re- 
newed life  and  usefulness. 


SECOND    CHRONOLOGICAL   EPOCH.  297 

A.  D.  1005. 

It  was  necessary  that  nearly  all  the  religious  edifices  of 
the  Christian  world  should  be  renewed.  Up  to  this  time 
such  building!  were  principally  composed  of  wood  and 
plaster;  but  now  these  are  razed  to  the  ground,  and  re- 
built in  more  enduring  material. 

A.  D.  1010. 

A  great  number  of  ecclesiastics  repair  to  Lombardy, 
there  to  study  religious  architecture,  and  to  form  an 
Italian  school.  Lombardy  is,  at  this  time,  an  active 
center  of  civilization,  where  the  fragments  of  the  ancient 
colleges  of  constructors  reside,  having  lived  through  the 
ordeal  of  international  wars,  and  maintained  their  ancient 
organization  and  their  privileges,  under  the  name  of  Free 
Corporations.  The  most  celebrated  of  these  was  that  of 
Coiuo,  which  had  acquired  such  superiority  that  the  title 
of  magistri  comacini  (Masters  of  Como)  had  become  the 
generic  name  of  all  the  members  of  the  architect  corpo- 
rations. Always  teaching  in  secret,  they  had  their  mys- 
teries, their  judiciary  and  jurisdiction.  The  architects  from 
distant  countries,  from  Spain,  Greece,  and  Asia,  at  this  time 
were  accustomed  to  repair  to  their  school  at  Como  for  in- 
struction, to  attain  a  knowledge  of  the  new  combinations 
of  the  Latin  and  Greek  styles  of  architecture,  which  had 
been  modified  by  intermixing  with  that  style  which  was 
developed  during  the  ninth  century  at  Constantinople,  and 
which  was  considered  the  most  suitable  for  religious  build- 
ings. It  was  this  combination  that  gave  birth  to  the  style 
called  "  Roman."  1 


*It  was  in  this  style  that  were  erected  the  religious  edifices  of  the  llth 
century  and  part  of  those  of  the  12th,  and  following  which  succeeded  the 
newer  stvle,  called  Roman  ogee,  which  latter  prevailed  but  from  the  year 
1150  to  the  year  1200,  or  thereabouts. 


298  GENERAL    HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

A.  D.  1040. 

The  Masonic  corporations  covered  Italy,  am  more  par- 
ticularly Lombanly,  with  religious  edifices,  and  to  such  an 
extent  did  the  membership  of  the  corporations  increase 
that  the  country  could  no  longer  offer  occuprtion  to  all. 
Then  they  formed  particular  corporations,  wlrr:h  traveled 
into  foreign  countries;  and  a  large  number  of  tb.em  united 
in  forming  a  general  association,  and  constituting  them- 
selves into  a  great  fraternity  that  should  travel  into  all 
Christian  countries  wherein  the  necessary  churches  and 
monasteries  had  not  yet  been  erected,  and  demanding  for 
this  object  authority  from  the  pope,  and  the  confirmation 
to  them  by  him  of  all  the  ancient  immunities  which  had  at 
any  time  attached  to  the  building  corporations,  as  also  the 
protection  necessary  to  so  grand  an  enterprise.  The  pope, 
without  delay,  seconded  this  design,  and  conferred  upon 
them  the  exclusive  monopoly  of  erecting  all  religious  mon- 
uments, as  also  making  them  free  of  all  local  laws,  all 
royal  edicts  and  municipal  regulations  concerning  statute 
labor,  together  with  immunity  from  every  other  obligation 
imposed  upon  the  inhabitants  of  whatever  county-,  city, 
or  town  they  might  be  employed  in.  These  monopolies 
are  respected  and  sanctioned  by  all  the  kings  and  all  the 
governments. 

A.  D.  1060. 

The  Masonic  fraternities  of  Lombardy  extend  themselves 
into  Germany,  into  France,  and  into  Brittany  and  Nor- 
mandy. William  the  Conqueror,  king  of  England  (1054,) 
sent  from  Normandy  a  crowd  of  prelates  and  architects,  grad- 
uates of  the  school  of  the  Lombards,  such  as  Mauserius,  Le 
Franc,  Robert  of  Blois,  Remy  of  Fecamp,  and  many  others, 
to  plan  and  construct  the  most  magnificent  cathedrals  in 
England.  Every-where,  in  all  Christian  countries,  the 
same  passion  for  religious  edifices  seemed  to  prevail  at  this 


SECOND    CHRONOLOGICAL   EPOCH.  299 

time,  and,  in  consequence,  religious  architecture  made  great 
progress. 

A.  D.  1080. 

Some  Masonic  corporations  fixed  themselves  in  the  Low 
Country,  and  there  erected  churches  and  monasteries. 
The  bishop  of  Utrecht,  desirous  of  constructing  a  great 
cathedral,  sought  the  aid  of  the  leading  architect  of  that 
city,  a  man  named  Plehel,  and  obtained  from  him  the  neces- 
sary plans  for  the  proposed  construction.  Having  obtained 
possession  of  these  papers,  the  bishop  dismissed  Plebel,  and, 
desirous  of  passing  himself  as  the  author  of  the  plans,  and  en- 
gage in  directing  the  labors  of  the  workmen  without  having 
been  initiated  into  the  secrets  of  the  art,  sought,  by  all  sorts 
of  menaces  and  promises,  to  wring  from  the  son  of  the  archi- 
tect Plebel,  a  young  master  mason,  the  secrets  and  manner 
(arcanum  magisterium)  of  laying  the  foundations.  These 
rules,  applied  to  the  construction  of  religious  edifices,  were 
held  in  the  most  inviolable  secrecy  by  all  members  of  the 
association  of  Freemasons — a  secret  solemnly  imposed  upon 
them  by  their  oath.  The  architect,  indignant  at  a  pertidy 
so  base  on  the  part  of  one  whom  the  people  regarded  as 
their  supreme  spiritual  adviser,  on  learning  of  the  perjury 
of  his  son,  determined  to  prevent  the  divulging  the  secret 
of  his  art,  and  thereupon,  having  obtained  an  opportunity, 
killed  the  bishop. 

A.  D.  1100. 

During  the  century  just  closed,  the  Masonic  corporations 
completed  the  construction  of  more  than  one  hundred  cathe- 
drals, churches,  monasteries,  abbeys,  and  castles,  scattered 
over  the  five  principal  European  countries  of  that  time, 
viz.:  England,  France,  Germany,  Italy,  and  Switzerland. 

A.  D.  1125. 

The  Masonic  corporations,  under  the  style  and  name  of 
Brothers  of  St.  John,  extend  themselves  over  civilized 


300  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF    FREEMASONRY. 

Europe  anew,  and  give  their  assemblies  the  name  of  Lodges 
of  St.  John.  This  qualification,  which  was  first  known  in 
England,  goes  back  to  the  sixth  century,  and  originated  as 
follows:  In  those  days  the  Freemasons'  feasts,  following 
the  ancient  usage  of  the  Roman  colleges,  were  held  upon 
the  return  of  the  yearly  solstices,  particularly  upon  that  of 
summer.  Christianity  having  taken  the  place  of  pagan- 
ism, induced  them  to  invest  the  occasion  of  their  feasts 
with  another  sign,  more  in  keeping  with  the  wishes  of  the 
clergy.  They,  therefore,  chose  St.  John  for  their  patron, 
because  it  was  the  ancient  Janus,  a  god  of  the  Romans, 
whose  feast  fell  upon  the  24th  of  June,  which  was  also  the 
epoch  of  the  solstice  of  summer,  and  which  anniversary 
they  could  thus  continue  to  celebrate  under  the  name  of 
St.  John's  day.  From  the  importance  they  attached  to 
these  party  assemblies,  they  came  to  be  called  St.  John 
Brothers — a  name  tinder  which  they  were  universally 
known  upon  the  continent  during  the  twelfth  century. 

A.  D.  1150. 

A  fraternity  of  Masons,  called  from  Lombardy  direct  to 
England,  in  the  reign  of  Alexander  III,  erect,  under  this 
prince  and  his  successors,  a  great  many  beautiful  monu- 
ments of  their  art,  the  major  part  of  which  are  apparent 
but  as  ruins.  Among  the  others,  the  town  and  abbey  of 
Kil winning,  where  subsequently  were  held  the  general  as- 
semblies of  this  fraternity,  were  constructed  by  them. 

A.  D.  1155. 

The  grand  master  of  the  Templars,  Richard,  king  of 
England,  surnamed  the  Lion  Heart,  is  elected  by  the 
lodges  of  English  Freemasons  to  the  like  position  over 
them ;  and  he  governs  the  two  fraternities  until  his  death. 
A  Masonic  fraternity,  of  Syrian  origin,  detained  in  Europe 
by  the  immense  constructions  which  were  then  erected,  in 
this  year  construct  for  the  Templars  their  church  in  Fleet 


SECOND    CHRONOLOGICAL    EPOCH.  301 

Street,  London.     This  fraternity  had  preserved  intact  the 
ancient  initiation  practiced  among  the  Romans. 

A.  D.  1175. 

A  Masonic  fraternity,  to  which  was  given  the  name  of 
Brother  Bridgers,  and  which  occupied  itself  particularly 
with  the  construction  of  bridges  and  roads,  located  itself 
in  the  midst  of  France,  where,  at  Avignon,  in  1180,  it  con- 
structed the  bridge  of  that  name,  and,  subsequently,  all  the 
bridges  of  Provence,  of  Lorraine,  and  of  Lyons. 

A.  D.  1200. 

During  the  century  which  this  year  closed,  the  fraterni- 
ties of  builders  have  added  to  the  numerous  magnificent 
erections  of  the  preceding  period  some  of  the  finest  con- 
structions of  the  middle  ages.  In  England,  France,  Ger- 
many, Italy,  and  Spain  such  of  the  oldest  ecclesiastic  and 
monastic  erections  as  have  survived  the  decaying  touch  of 
time,  were  completed  during  the  twelfth  century. 

A.  D.  1225. 

Lombardy  has  attained  its  preeminence  as  the  principal 
European  school  of  architecture.  Thither,  from  all  coun- 
tries, the  master  masons  repair  for  new  ideas  and  new 
knowledge.  The  Scottish  artists,  the  Byzantine,  and  also 
those  of  Cordova,  who  affected  more  of  pomp,  and  what 
was  known  as  the  style  Arabesque,  in  their  details  of  deco- 
ration, there  modified  their  art;  while,  in  their  turn,  the 
Lombards,  recognizing  the  beauties  of  these  different  forms, 
intermix  them  with  the  more  severe  simplicity  of  their 
Roman  ogival,  from  which  intermixture  there  results  a 
new  combination,  inappropriately  styled  Gothic,1  which  is 

1  We  find  in  that  most  remarkable  work,  published  in  1843,  and  of  which 
the  architect  Daniel  Ramee  is  the  author,  some  passages  bearing  upon  this 
fact,  one  of  which  we  will  take  the  liberty  to  quote.  After  having  enumer- 
ated the  different  opinions  upon  the  origin  of  the  ogival  style,  the  author,  in 


302  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

distinguished  by  the  most  harmonious  reunion  of  opposite 
elements,  by  hardihood  of  conception  and  solidity  of  exe- 
cution. This  style  is  immediately  adopted  in  all  Christian 
countries,  and  totally  changes  nearly  all  the  established 
plans  which,  up  to  this  period,  prevailed  in  the  construc- 
tion of  religious  edifices. 

A.  D.  1250. 

The  changes  which  have  been  introduced  within  the 
past  twenty-five  years  in  the  outlines  and  details  of  Chris- 
tian architecture,  stamp  this  period  as  the  most  remark- 
able of  any  preceding  time.  The  striking  analogy  which 
the  monuments  of  this  time  afford  when  contrasted  with 
those  of  the  fifteenth  century,  is  explained  by  the  tie  of 
the  Fraternity  which,  uniting  the  Masonic  brethren  of 
every  nation,  afforded  them  identity  of  progress  and 
knowledge  in  their  art.  Lomlmrdy,  that  central  school 
of  art,  had  its  prototype  in  the  fifteenth  century  at  Stras- 
burg  and  Cologne;  while,  ever  obedient  during  the  past 
three  hundred  years  to  the  lessons  taught  in  those  central 
schools  of  their  art,  the  knowledge  of  one  became  the 
property  of  the  whole,  and  individual  promptings  of 
beauty  in  ornament  or  decoration  were  not  admissible,  as 
none  were  free  from  that  obedience  which  involved  the 
use  of  a  similar  style  of  ornament.  The  symbolic  and 
satirical  markings  which  distinguished  the  architectural 
monuments  of  the  fifteenth  from  those  of  the  twelfth 
century  are  indicative  of  the  gradual  change  that  had 
been  wrought  by  the  abuses  of  the  clergy,  and  by  those 
attempts  to  enslave  the  popular  mind  in  ignorance  and 

his  turn,  although  very  desirous  of  claiming  the  credit  of  the  invention  for 
France,  is  compelled  by  his  regard  for  truth  to  say:  "There  is  no  doubt  that 
the  employment  of  the  ogee,  or  pointed  arch,  and  the  style  which  resulted 
there  i'rorn,  was  first  practiced  among  the  learned,  modest,  pious,  and  truly 
Christi  ui  Freemasons  of  foreign  countries,  and  the  knowledge  of  which  they 
communicated  to  their  brethren  iu  Germany,  England,  France,  Spain,  and 
Italy.' 


SECOND    CHRONOLOGICAL    EPOCH.  303 

superstition,  which  subsequently  culminated  in  the  Prot- 
estant Reformation. 

A.  D.  1251. 

Louis  IX,  called  St.  Louis,  directs  the  architect  Elides, 
of  Montreuil,  to  fortify  the  harbor  and  town  of  Joppa, 
and  lie  is  accompanied  thither  by  a  certain  number  of 
Freemasons. 

A.  D.  1272. 

The  construction  of  Westminster  Abbey  is  completed 
this  year,  under  the  direction  of  the  grand  master  Giti'ard, 
archbishop  of  York. 

A.  D.  1275. 

Erwin  of  Steinbach1  evoked  at  Strasburg  a  Masonic 
congress,  for  the  purpose  of  adopting  measures  to  continue 
the  labors  which  for  a  long  time  had  been  interrupted, 
upon  the  cathedral  of  that  city,  and  to  enlarge  the  dimen- 
sions of  that  structure  to  a  plan  m  >re  extended  than  that 
by  which  the  foundations  had  been  laid  in  the  year  1015, 
and  upon  which  latter  plan  a  part  of  the  church  was 
erected.  The  architects  from  all  countries  of  Europe 
repaired  to  Strasburg,  and  there,  according  to  their  usage, 
organized  a  general  assembly,  or  grand  lodge,  at  which 
each  representative  renewed  the  oath  to  observe  the  laws 
and  rules  of  the  Fraternity.  Near  the  foundations  of  the 
cathedral  is  constructed  a  wooden  building,  wherein  are 
held  the  meetings  of  the  assembled  brethren,  and  the  ob- 
jects of  that  assembly  discussed  and  adopted.  Erwin  of 
Steinbach  is  elected,  by  the  architects  and  directors  of  the 

1  Since  the  thirteenth  century  the  names  of  some  of  the  most  celebrated 
architects  who  conducted  the  labors  upon  the  most  remarkable  cathedrals 
of  the  middle  ages  are  known  to  us  ;  but,  for  the  chief  part,  their  names 
remain  unknown,  and  this  is  easily  explained:  these  monuments  were  the 
creation  of  a  general  association,  and  it  was  not  necessary  that  the  proper 
names  of  persons  comprising  its  membership,  no  matter  how  important, 
should  be  publicly  mentioned. 


304  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF    FREEMASONRY. 

edifice,  president  (chair  master) ;  and,  as  a  sign  of  the 
judicial  character  delegated  to  him  by  these  brethren,  he 
is  seated  under  a  canopy,  with  a  sword  in  his  hand.  Signs 
and  tokens  which  enable  the  workmen  upon  the  cathedral 
to  distinguish  themselves  from  others  not  so  engaged  are 
adopted,  and  made  known  to  all  the  brethren  assembled, 
some  of  which  words  and  signs  being  those  in  use  among 
the  brethren  in  England.  Apprentices,  fellow-crafts,  and 
masters  are  initiated  with  particular  symbolic  ceremonies, 
under  which  are  indicated  the  most  profound  secrets  of 
architecture. 

A.  D.  1300. 

The  number  of  monuments  commenced  or  finished 
within  the  thirteenth  century,  just  closed,  far  exceed  any 
previous  similar  period.  Among  the  most  remarkable 
were,  in  England,  Westminster  Abbey,  at  London,  and 
the  cathedral  of  Litchfield,  at  Exeter.  In  France,  the 
cathedrals  of  Paris,1  of  Rheims,  of  Chartres,  of  Rouen,  of 
Amicus,  Bruges,  Beauvais,  and  Strasburg;  the  holy  chapel 
at  Paris,  and  the  church  and  abbey  of  St.  Denis.  In. 
Germany,  the  cathedrals  of  Cologne,  Friburg  and  Breslau; 
the  domes  of  Madgeburg  and  Halberstadt;  the  churches 
of  Xotre  Dame  of  Cologne  and  St.  Elizabeth,  at  Marburg, 
and  of  St.  Catharine,  at  Oppenheim.  In  Belgium,  the 
churches  of  St.  John  at  Tournay,  those  of  the  Dominicans 

1This  cathedral  was  built,  according  to  undisputed  authority,  with  the 
money  that  Maurice,  bishop  of  Paris,  obtained  from  the  sale  of  indulgences, 
and  of  which  he  had  sufficient  to  also  erect  four  abbies.  The  French 
bishops,  following  the  example  set  in  1016  by  the  pontifical  bishop  of  Aries, 
who  was  the  first  to  preach  this  matter,  established  this  principle,  viz.:  that 
whoever  consecrated  a  small  sum  of  money  to  the  erection  or  restoration  of 
a  church  or  a  chapel,  received,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  remission  of  the 
third  to  the  fourth  part  of  the  penitential  punishment  awarded  them  in 
the  confessional.  When  Pope  Julian  II  wished  to  build  St.  Peter's  church 
at  Rome,  he  followed  the  example  <$et  by  the  French  bishops,  and  promul- 
gated his  order  for  the  sale  of  indulgences.  The  Protostaut  Reformation 
was  the  result. 


SECOND    CHRONOLOGICAL    EPOCH.  305 

at  Gand  and  at  Louvaiu;  of  St.  Paul  and  of  Sante  Croix 
at  Liege;  of  St.  Guclule  and  Our  Lady  of  the  chapel,  at 
Brussels.  In  Italy,  the  cathedral  of  Venice,  the  dome  of 
Arezzo,  and  the  churches  of  St.  Francis  of  Padua,  and 
those  of  Campo  Santo  and  St.  Marie  della  Pina ;  of  St. 
Margaret  at  Crotona,  of  St.  Mary  the  New,  of  St.  Croix, 
and  of  St.  Mary  of  the  Flowers,  at  Florence ;  of  St.  John 
and  of  St.  Paul,  at  Venice;  of  St.  Francis,  at  Bologna; 
the  lodge  of  the  puhlic  palace  at  Padua;  the  old  palace 
at  Florence;  and  the  ducal  palace  at  Venice.  In  Spain, 
the  cathedrals  of  Burgos  and  Toledo;  the  monastery  of 
Pobelt,  and  the  churches  of  St.  Thomas  and  St.  Maria 
Blanca,  at  Toledo. 

A.  D.  1310. 

The  construction  of  the  magnificent  cathedral  of  Co- 
logne, commenced  in  1248,  elevates  the  fraternity  engaged 
in  this  work  to  a  high  degree  of  superiority — in  fact, 
raises  it  to  the  rank  of  a  school  to  which  repair  brethren 
from  all  countries  for  the  purpose  of  studying  this  master- 
piece of  architectural  genius.  The  lodges  of  Germany, 
'  recognizing  this  superiority,  regard  the  master  of  this 
work  as  the  master  of  all  the  German  masons,  and  the 
brethren  engaged  upon  it  as  the  Grand  Lodge,  (Haupt- 
hutte.) 

A.  D.  1312. 

During  the  persecutions  directed  by  Philip  the  Fair, 
king  of  France,  and  Pope  Clement  V,  against  the  Knights 
Templar,  many  of  the  latter  sought  refuge  in  the  fast- 
nesses of  Scotland,  where,  until  after  the  death  of  their 
grand  master,  Jaques  de  Molay,  they  found  security  for 
their  persons  in  the  bosom  of  the  Masonic  lodges. 


A.  D. 

At   this   time    nearly   every  ^ff  in  Germany  had   its 
lodges,    for   wherever   religious   edifices   were  being  con- 
20 


7 ^f^i 


306  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

structed,  there  the  fraternities  of  builders  were  congre- 
gated. These  lodges  had  accorded  to  and  recognized  a 
superiority  as  existing  among  some  of  their  numbers,  and, 
in  consequence,  characterized  them,  as  in  England,  by  the 
title  of  grand  lodges.  That  at  Cologne  was  from  at  first 
the  most  important  of  all,  and  continued  to  be  the  central 
lodge  for  a  long  time  after  that  at  Strasburg  was  elevated 
to  the  same  rank;  and  the  master  of  the  work  was  equally 
recognized  as  chief  of  the  Masons  of  upper  Germany,  as 
him  of  Cologne  was  of  those  of  the  lower  country. 

A.  D.  1380. 

The  fortress  and  palace  of  the  Alhambra  at  Grenada, 
the  capital  of  the  kingdom  of  this  name,  which  was 
founded  by  the  Moors,  under  Mahomet  I,  creator  of  the 
dynasty  of  the  Alhamarides,  in  1235,  and  the  construction 
of  which  fortress  and  palace  was  begun  in  1248,  is  finished 
during  this  year. 

This  marvelous  monument  is  the  most  beautiful  that 
Moorish  architecture  has  produced  in  Spain.  If  we  exam- 
ine this  edifice  in  all  its  details,  we  will  find  that  it  is  un- 
surpassed in  luxury  and  taste  by  any  construction  of  mod- 
ern times.  The  palace  of  the  Alhambra  is  the  work  of  a 
happy  congregation  of  artists  of  every  kind,  such  as  com- 
posed the  Roman  colleges  until  after  the  third  century  of 
our  era;  and  this  fact  allows  us  to  believe  that  this  mon- 
ument of  human  genius,  like  others  in  Grenada,  was 
equally  the  work  of  Masonic  and  artistic  associations,  or- 
ganized and  directed  in  manner  similar  to  those  of  other 
countries  at  the  same  period,  of  whom,  however,  history 
has  failed  to  furnish  us  with  any  record. 

A.  D.  1400. 

The  monuments  the  most  remarkable  which  have  been 
erected,  begun,  or  finished  by  the  Masonic  fraternities 
within  the  century  just  closed,  are,  in  England,  the  cathe- 


SECOND    CHRONOLOGICAL    EPOCH.  307 

drals  of  York  and  Exeter,  and  the  King's  College  at  Cam- 
bridge. In  France,  the  cathedrals  of  Perpignan,  Meaux, 
Auxerre,  Toul,  Tours,  and  Metz;  the  churches  of  St. 
OA'CII  at  Rouen,  and  of  St.  James  at  Dieppe.  In  Bel- 
gium, the  belfry,  the  cloth  hall,  the  city  hall,  and  acad- 
emy of  line  arts  at  Tournay;  the  church  of  the  Domin- 
cans,  and  the  cloth  hall  at  Louvaiu ;  the  city  hall  at 
Brussels,  and  the  cathedral  of  Malines.  In  Germany,  the 
dome  of  Gefurth,  as  also  those  of  Prague  and  of  Ulm;  the 
church  of  Notre  Dame  at  Nuremberg,  and  that  of  St.  Nich- 
olas at  Stralsund.  In  Italy,  the  cathedrals  of  Como  and 
Milan;  the  dome  of  Orvita;  the  churches  of  Anastasia  and 
St.  Peter  at  Verona,  of  St.  Mary  at  Rome,  and  of  St.  Stephen 
at  Venice;  the  ducal  palace  at  Venice,  and  those  of  Flor- 
ence and  of  Bologna.  In  Spain,  the  cathedrals  of  Seville 
and  Barcelona  ;  and  the  church  of  St.  Mary  at  Toledo.  In 
Switzerland,  the  cathedrals  of  Berne,  of  Lausanne,  of  Fri- 
burg,  and  of  Zurich.1 

A.  D.  1480. 

The  astonishing  sacrifices  which  the  people  had  made 
to  erect  so  many  magnificent  churches,  joined  to  the  cry- 
ing abuses  of  the  clergy  and  of  the  popes  at  this  time, 
have  relaxed  the  religious  ardor  and  weakened  the  popu- 
lar faith  to  such  an  extent  as  not  only  to  preclude  the  idea 
of  erecting  new  church  edifices,  but  also  to  stop  opera- 
tions upon  many  of  those  which  were  yet  unfinished  for 
want  of  funds.  In  consequence  of  this  condition,  and 
notwithstanding  the  renewal,  in  1459,  by  the  emperor 
Maximilian,  of  their  ancient  privileges,  and  his  sanction  to 
their  constitution,  the  number  of  the  Masonic  corpora- 
tions established  in  every  continental  country  declined, 
and  their  privileges  became  of  little  value;  so  that,  hav- 
ing no  more  religious  edifices  to  construct,  they  disperse 

1  For  the  years  1425,  '37,  '42,  '59,  '64,  and  '69,  see  those  dates  at  pp.  239 
and  240,  ante. 


308  GENERAL    HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

and  seek  employment  at  such  places  and  of  such,  kind  aa 
hitherto  had  been  occupied  and  executed  by  men  not  con- 
nected with  the  fraternities  of  builders.  More  particularly 
was  this  the  case  in  France  ;  while  in  Germany  they  still 
preserved  some  consistence  and  connection  among  them- 
selves— the  fortune  of  their  French  brethren  not  having 
overtaken  them  until  later;  and  in  England  they  con- 
tinued to  flourish  with  unabated  prosperity.1 

A.  D.  1500. 

During  the  century  just  closed,  the  Masonic  fraternities 
may  be  said  to  have  finished  their  labors  in  church  archi- 
tecture, and  dispersed  to  find  occupation  in  their  individ- 
ual capacities  as  constructors  of  public  buildings  for  civic 
and  municipal  purposes. 

A.  D.  1575. 

Since  the  beginning  of  this  century,  when  the  greater 
part  of  the  fraternities  found  it  necessary  to  dissolve  their 
associations,  the  more  wealthy  architects  undertook  the 
erection  of  public  buildings,  and  employed  the  others  to 
construct  the  same,  in  the  capacity  of  hired  workmen. 
The  tie  of  brotherhood  which,  up  to  this  time,  had 
closely  united  master  and  workmen,  was  gradually  dis- 
solved, and  they  assumed  such  relationship  toward  each 
other  as  was  habitual  with  other  bodies  of  tradesmen 
since  the  fourth  century.  In  this  manner,  and  at  this 
time,  the  trades  unions  appear  to  have  had  their  origin. 

A.  D.  1600. 

"With  the  close  of  the  sixteenth  century,  the  Masonic 
corporations  had  entirely  disappeared  in  continental  Eu- 

1  It  was  not  until  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century  that  the  Masonic 
corporations  in  England  abandoned,  to  some  extent,  the  material  object  of 
thyir  organization,  and  admitted  to  honorary  membership  many  persons  not 
artists  as  accepted  Masons.  It  was  this  element  that  subsequently  caused 
their  entire  dissolution  as  operative  Masonic  bodies. 


SECOND    CHRONOLOGICAL   EPOCH.  309 

rope,  as  long  before  that  time  all  religious  constructions 
had  been  abandoned.  After  this  date  no  traces  of  any 
regular  Masonic  organization  can  be  found  outside  of  the 
kingdom  of  England. 

A.  D.  1646. 

The  Masonic  corporations  in  England  are  found  to  be 
composed  for  some  time  and  in  great  part  by  learned  per- 
sons, artists,  and  men  eminent  for  their  knowledge  of  sci- 
ence and  art,  as  well  as  their  influential  positions  in 
society,  who  had  been  received  into  the  corporations  as 
honorary  members,  under  the  designation  of  Accepted 
Masons.  It  was  at  this  time  that  the  association,  no  more 
occupied  with  the  material  object  of  its  organization,  in- 
itiated as  an  accepted  Mason  the  celebrated  antiquary  Elias 
Ashmolc,  who  founded  the  museum  at  Oxford,  and  who 
re-arranged  and  composed  the  forms  of  the  society  of  the 
Rose  Cross  Brothers,  which  had  been  organized  in  Lon- 
don, after  the  model  of  the  new  Atlantis  of  Lord  Bacon, 
and  held  its  assemblies  in  the  hall  which  had  been  hitherto 
used  by  the  Freemasons.  To  the  rituals  of  reception  of 
the  Rose  Cross  Brethren,  which  consisted  of  some  cere- 
monies having  a  historical  foundation,  and  the  commu- 
nication of  the  signs  of  recognition,  and  which,  to  some 
extent,  resembled  those  used  among  the  Freemasons,  Ash- 
mole  added  some  others.  This  labor  inspired  him  with 
the  idea  of  arranging  also  a  new  ritual  for  the  Freemasons, 
and  he  therefore  composed  and  substituted  for  the  ritual 
then  in  use  another  mode  of  initiation,  copied  in  part 
from  the  ancient  manuscripts  and  the  Anglo-Saxon  and 
Syrian  rituals,  and  in  part  from  the  mysteries  of  Egypt, 
and  otherwise,  as  he  supposed,  most  resembled  the  initia- 
tion ceremony,  as  it  was  conducted  in  the  colleges  of  Ro- 
man architects  and  builders.  These  rituals  were  at  once 
adopted  by  the  lodges  in  London,  and  subsequently  by 
those  every-where  in  England. 


310  GENERAL   HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

A.    D.    1670. 

The  progress  of  Masonry  having  been  suspended  by  the 
civil  wars  which  during  the  previous  twenty  years  had 
been  desolating  England,  Charles  II  sought  its  revival 
by  assuming  its  protectorship;  and  the  tire  of  London, 
which  took  place  four  years  previous,  gives  employment 
to  the  lodges,  of  which,  at  present,  seven  exist  in  the  city 
of  London. 

A.  D.  16S5. 

When  James  II  ascended  the  throne  in  1683,  his  lean- 
ing toward  Roman  Catholicism  greatly  agitated  a  num- 
ber of  his  subjects ;  but  in  this  year,  having  accorded 
freedom  of  conscience  in  religious  matters  the  most  com- 
plete to  all  within  the  bounds  of  his  kingdom,  the  Free- 
masons divided  into  two  camps,  which,  arrayed  against 
each  other,  threw  their  whole  influence  into  the  political 
rather  than  the  architectural  or  philosophical  arena.  The 
Scottish  Masons,  having  at  its  head  the  knights  of  St. 
Andrew,  adhered  to  James  II,  or  the  Catholic  party, 
while  the  English  Masons  ranged  themselves  among  the 
ranks  of  that  party  which  decided  to  remove  the  Catholic 
king.  This  latter  party  succeeding;  James  was  forced 
into  exile,  and,  accompanied  by  many  of  the  nobles  of  his 
court  and  the  leading  Jesuits,  took  up  his  residence  in 
Paris,  in  the  convent  of  Clermont.  [The  revival  of  the 
order  of  St.  Andrew1  engendered  the  Templar  system,  sub- 
sequently called  Strict  Observance,  which  gave  birth  to 
various  fashions  of  exclusive  Christian  Freemasonry  dur- 
ing the  last  century,  with  the  hierarchical  forms  of  the 
Knights  of  the  Temple,  and  the  ancient  titles  of  grand 
commander,  etc.2] 

A.  D.  1695. 

The  revolutions  in  England  which  succeeded  the  exile 

1  See  pages  238  and  213,  (A.  D.  1314  and  1685.) 

2  See  History  of  all  the  Rites  for  High  Degrees,  p.  212. 


SECOND    CHRONOLOGICAL    EPOCH.  311 

of  James  II  having  completely  suspended  the  labors  of 
the  Masonic  institution,  king  William  III  afforded  it  some 
protection  and  character  by  being  himself  initiated,  and 
often  presiding  in  the  lodge  he  assembled  at  Hampton 
Court. 

A.  D.  1700. 

At  this  time,  except  in  England,  the  Masonic  corpora- 
tions were  every-where  dissolved.  The  close  of  the  sev- 
enteenth century,  in  consequence  of  the  active  part  taken 
by  the  fraternity  in  politics,  wars,  and  revolution,  saw 
them  scattered,  their  lodges  dissolved,  and  the  operative 
members  of  the  Masonic  lodges  exerting  no  influence  upon 
architecture,  and  had  no  rank  or  importance  in  the  land. 
Having  ceased  their  labors  as  operative  Masons,  the  vasi; 
crowd  of  operatives,  the  protectors,  the  friends  of  art  and 
of  humanity,  who,  during  fourteen  centuries,  had  contrib- 
uted, through  the  organization  of  the  Masonic  fraternity, 
so  much  to  the  increase  of  civilization  in  Europe,  are  to- 
day represented  by  a  few  persons,  who  resolve  to  perpetu- 
ate the  name  of  their  ancient  organization  by  remodeling 
it  as  a  purely  philosophic  institution ;  and  at  a  meeting 
of  the  lodge  of  St.  Paul,  held  on  St.  John's  day, 

A.  D.  1703, 

Resolve,  "  That  the  privileges  of  Masonry  shall  no  longer 
be  confined  to  operative  Masons,  but  be  free  to  men  of  all 
professions,  provided  they  are  regularly  approved  and  in- 
itiated -into  the  Fraternity."  At  this  time  Christopher 
Wren,  Knt.,  was  grand  master  of  Freemasonry,  nearly  all 
the  operative  Masons  in  England  being  employed  under 
him  upon  the  construction  of  St.  Paul's  cathedral.  Ho 
opposed  the  execution  of  this  famous  resolution  while  he 
lived ;  vSO  that  it  was  not  until  after  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred in  1716,  that  the  brethren  were  at  liberty  to  en- 
force their  new  regulation. 


312  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 


fc    ISpocft, 

From  the  year  1717  to  the  present  time. 


A.  D.  1717. 

After  the  death  of  the  grand  master,  Christopher 
Wren,  the  four  lodges  of  London  resolve  to  elect  a  new 
grand  master,  detach  themselves  from  their  connection 
with  the  brethren  at  York,  of  whom  they  held  their  con- 
stitution, for  the  purpose  of  forming  a  new  grand  lodge, 
and  thus  be  at  liberty  to  put  into  execution  the  resolution 
of  1703.  The  four  lodges,  with  these  objects  in  view,  in- 
voked in  general  assembly  all  the  Masons  of  London  and 
vicinity,  and  constituted  a  central  authority,  under  the 
title  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  England,  and  recognizing  in 
the  three  symbolic  degrees  alone  all  the  principles  of 
Mason  ry. 

It  is  from  this  time  we  must  date  the  era  of  modern 
or  philosophic  Freemasonry. 

A.  D.  1720. 

The  Grand  Lodge  of  England  has,  since  its  installation, 
organized  a  certain  number  of  lodges,  in  which  many 
persons  of  distinction  have  been  initiated.  The  Grand 
Lodge  of  York,  suddenly  excited  with  sentiments  of  jeal- 
ousy at  the  growing  prosperity  of  its  young  rival,  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  England,  and  in  defiance  of  the  principles 
of  the  Fraternity,  proscribes  those  members  as  illegitimately 
made.  An  irreparable  loss  has  been  perpetrated  by  some 
too  jealous  brethren  of  the  lodge  of  St.  Paul,  who,  fear- 
ing that  improper  use  may  be  made  of  them,  burn  all 


THIRD   CHRONOLOGICAL   EPOCH.  313 

the  ancient  manuscripts,  charters,  rituals,  and  documents 
of  all  kinds. 

A.  D.  1721. 

Freemasonry  begins  to  extend  upon  the  continent. 
The  grand  lodge  organize  a  lodge  at  Dunkirk,  and  an- 
other at  Mons,  and  the  rules  and  regulations  of  the  Fra- 
ternity are  revised.  George  Payne,  heing  reflected  grand 
master,  compiled  from  the  ancient  charter  documents  a 
series  of  "charges"  and  "regulations"  more  suited  to  the 
present  condition  and  objects  of  the  Society,  and,  prefaced 
by  a  history  of  the  Fraternity  as  an  association  of  arch- 
itects, he  submitted  the  same  to  the  grand  lodge.  This 
work  being  submitted  by  that  body  to  the  examination 
of  a  committee  composed  of  fourteen  of  its  members, 
was  intrusted  to  the  critical  revision  of  Dr.  James  Ander- 
son, with  directions  to  prepare  the  same  for  publication, 
as  a  body  of  law  and  doctrine,  for  the  use  of  the  lodges 
of  England. 

A.  D.  1722. 

The  manuscript,  with  the  revision  of  which  he  was  in- 
trusted, is  presented  by  Dr.  Anderson  to  the  grand  lodge, 
and  upon  reception  of  the  report  of  the  commission  of 
fourteen,  it  is  adopted  and  ordered  to  be  printed  under 
the  title  of  "  The  Constitutions  of  the  Freemasons,  con- 
taining the  History,  Charges,  Regulations,  etc.,  of  that 
Most  Ancient  and  Right  Worshipful  Fraternity." 

From  this  time  the  organization  of  the  new  Freema- 
sonry was  established  in  prosperity.  In  accordance  with 
the  constitution — which  is,  in  fact,  but  an  adaptation  of ' 
that  of  York  of  926,  more  suited  to  the  people  and  pres- 
ent time — the  new  grand  lodge  of  England  took  up  its 
position  as  the  only  legitimate  Masonic  authority  in  Eng- 
land, and  thus  excited  the  ill-will  of  such  scattered  bodies 
as  assumed  to  be  invested  with  inherent  rights,  because 
antedating  the  grand  lodge  in  authority.  This  constitu- 
tion, in  fact,  deprived  Freemasons  in  their  lodge  capacities 


314.  GENERAL    HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

of  their  ancient  privileges,  in  prohibiting,  among  other 
restrictions,  the  formation  of  any  lodge  without  being  au- 
thorized in  such  act  by  this  grand  lodge.  The  conse- 
quence of  this  assumption  of  authority  on  the  part  of  the 
grand  lodge  promptly  occasioned  the  protest  and  denial 
of  such  rights  by  the  grand  lodges  of  York  and  Edin- 
burgh. 

A.  D.  1725. 

This  year  the  new  Freemasonry  is  introduced  into  Paris, 
where  many  lodges  are  organized  within  a  few  years. 

A.  D.  1728. 

Baron  Eamsay,  a  Scotchman,  and  a  partisan  of  the 
Stuarts,  sought  to  introduce  in  London  a  new  style  of 
Masonry,  created  in  the  interest  of  "  the  Pretender,"  and 
which  he  asserted  had  descended  from  the  crusades,  as  it 
was  created  by  Godfrey  of  Bouillon,  and  of  which  the 
lodge  of  St.  Andrew,  at  Edinburgh,  was  the  principal 
modern  authority.  The  political  character  of  this  Ma- 
sonry caused  it  to  be  very  promptly  rejected,  and  he 
returned  to  France  without  meeting  with  any  success. 

A.  D.  1729. 

The  activity  displayed  by  the  lodges  holding  under  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  England,  and  the  brilliancy  which  attached 
to  their  labors,  stimulated  the  zeal  of  the  Masons  of  Ire- 
land and  Scotland,  who  previously  had  assembled  them- 
selves together,  but  at  irregular  and  uncertain  periods. 
The  Masonic  temples  are  opened  in  all  parts  of  the  king- 
dom, and  the  initiations  greatly  multiplied.  A  convoca- 
tion of  Irish  Freemasons  resolve  to  organize  a  grand 
lodge  upon  the  basis  and  constitution  of  that  of  London ; 
and  thus  a  central  power  is  constituted  under  the  title  of 
the  Grand  Lodge  of  Ireland. 


THIRD    CHRONOLOGICAL   EPOCH.  315 

A.  D.  1730. 

The  lodges  greatly  increase  as  well  in  England  as  upon 
the  continent — the  latest  being  those  at  Hamburg  and 
the  Hague.  A  provincial  grand  master,  named  Pemfrees, 
is  employed  to  go  to  India,  and  in  a  short  time  he  organ- 
ized in  Bengal  eleven  lodges.  A  central  committee  of 
chanty  is  instituted  in  London  to  succor  brethren  in  dis- 
tress, and  the  funds  for  this  institution  are  raised  by  a 
voluntary  annual  contribution  of  four  shillings  from  each 
member  of  a  lodge  in  London,  and  two  shillings  from 
each  member  of  a  lodge  elsewhere  in  England. 

A.  D.  1732. 

The  Grand  Lodge  of  York,  representing  the  ancient 
system  of  operative  Masonry,  and  of  which  the  regula- 
tions conform  more  readily  to  the  free  system  of  the  an- 
cient Masonic  corporations,  recognized  the  necessity  of 
changing  this  system  to  correspond  in  greater  degree  with 
the  object  of  the  new  Freemasonry. 

A.  D.  1733. 

The  first  provincial  grand  lodge  in  America  is  insti- 
tuted at  Boston.  During  this  year  lodges  have  been  or- 
ganized in  Italy,  at  Rome  and  Florence ;  in  Spain,  at 
Gibraltar  and  Malta;  in  Russia,  at  St.  Petersburg.  The 
lodges  in  Bengal  have  sent  abundant  aid  to  the  charity 
fund  in  London. 

A.  D.  1734. 

A  general  assembly  of  the  Masons  of  Holland  is  con- 
voked at  the  Hague,  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  a  pro- 
vincial grand  lodge,  which  being  done,  the  same  is  char- 
tered regularly  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  England,  in  1735. 

A.  D.  1735. 

The  Grand  Lodge  of  England  nominate  provincial  grand 
masters  for  South  America  and  Africa.  Lodges  arc  or- 


316  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

ganized  at  Madrid  and  at  Lisbon.  This  year  is  rendered 
memorable  by  the  commencement  of  persecutions  directed 
against  the  Fraternity  by  the  general  government  of  Hol- 
land, which  interests  the  Masonic  assemblies. 

A.  D.  1736. 

The  Grand  Lodge  of  Scotland,  at  Edinburgh,  believing 
the  great  prosperity  of  the  new  English  lodges  to  be  con- 
sequent upon  the  more  liberal  constitution  of  the  new 
grand  lodge,  is  desirous  to  introduce  similar  changes  into 
its  own  system;  but  the  hereditary  charge  of  patron  that 
James  I  had,  in  1430,  conceded  to  the  family  of  Roslin 
prevented.  The  baron  Sinclair  of  Roslin,  the  grand  mas- 
ter, being  approached  by  the  grand  lodge  upon  the  subject, 
acceded  readily  to  the  request;  and,  in  an  assembly  con- 
voked by  the  four  oldest  lodges  of  Scotland,  at  Edinburgh, 
after  reading  his  renunciation  to  the  rights  and  privileges 
of  patron,  George  Sinclair,  baron  of  Roslin,  was  duly 
elected  grand  master  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Scotland  for 
1737,  and  the  same  was  properly  organized  under  a  con- 
stitution, charges,  and  regulations  similar  to  those  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  England. 

In  this  year,  also,  a  provincial  grand  lodge  of  England 
was  organized  as  the  governing  body  of  the  lodges  in 
Paris. 

The  Grand  Lodge  of  England  named  the  count  Scheffer 
provincial  grand  master  for  the  lodges  of  Sweden. 

A.  D.  1737. 

During  this  year  the  English  provincial  grand  lodges 
of  Switzerland  and  Saxony  are  founded,  respectively  at 
Geneva  and  Hamburg ;  and  the  Grand  Lodge  of  England 
nominates  William,  king  of  Prussia,  provincial  grand 
master  for  the  lodges  of  Lower  Saxony. 


THIRD    CHRONOLOGICAL    EPOCH.  317 

A.  D.  1738. 

Pope  Clement  XII  promulgates  his  bull  of  excommuni- 
cation against  the  Freemasons;  and  it  is  followed  by  the 
edict  of  the  emperor  Charles  VI,  who  interdicts  the 
assemblies  of  Freemasons  in  the  Low  Country.  Prince 
Frederick  subsequently,  as  Frederick  II,  king  of  Prussia, 
is  initiated,  at  Brunswick,  on  the  night  of  August  15  of 
this  year. 

A,  D.  1739. 

The  Grand  Lodge  of  England  is  accused,  by  many  of 
the  brethren,  with  having  suppressed  some  of  the  cere- 
monies, altered  the  ritual,  and  introduced  innovations; 
also  of  having  appointed  provincial  grand  masters  to  or- 
ganize lodges  in  towns  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  York — a  measure  that  of  itself  was  considered  suf- 
ficiently offensive.  From  these  charges  there  resulted  some 
new  divisions  among  the  lodges  of  the  north  and  south  of 
England.  Many  of  the  discontented  separated  themselves 
from  the  grand  lodge  at  London,  and  declared  themselves 
adherents  of  the  grand  lodge  at  York,  and  then  formed  a 
new  grand  lodge,  neither  of  England  nor  York,  which  they 
styled  the  Grand  Lodge  of  "Ancient  and  Accepted  Ma- 
sons." The  grand  lodges  of  Ireland  and  Scotland,  having 
recognized  this  body  as  truly  representatives  of  the  ancient 
rite,  refused  to  correspond  with  the  elder  jurisdiction,  con- 
temptuously styled  by  this  new  body  as  modern.  Never- 
theless, the  so-called  modern  grand  lodge  augmented  in 
importance  and  consideration,  while  the  latter  organization, 
though  styling  itself  ancient,  remained  in  obscurity,  and 
was  but  little  known  outside  of  London  city. 

A.  D.  1739. 

The  cardinal  Ferraro,  in  his  edict,  published  on  the  14th 
January,  wishing  to  remove  all  doubt  and  equivocation  in 
the  interpretation  of  the  bull  of  excommunication  of  his 
holiness  the  pope,  launched  against  the  Freemasons  on  the 


318         GENERAL  HISTORY  OF  FREEMASONRY. 

27th  of  April  of  the  preceding  year,  explained  that  docu- 
ment in  the  following  manner:  "That  no  persons  should 
assemble  or  meet  in  any  place  in  the  capacity  of  a  society, 
nor  be  found  present  at  such  assemblies,  under  the  penalty 
of  death  and  confiscation  of  all  their  goods,  and  also  incur 
damnation  without  hope  of  grace"  By  the  same  edict  it  is 
expressly  directed  that  "all  house-holders  are  prohibited 
from  allowing  meetings  of  Freemasons  to  take  place  within 
their  houses,  under  penalty  of  having  the  same  demolished, 
and  themselves  mulcted  in  a  fine  of  one  thousand  crowns  of 
gold,  and  being  condemned  to  the  galleys." 

A.  D.  1740. 

The  Grand  Lodge  of  England  named  a  provincial  mas- 
ter for  the  lodges  founded  in  Russia.  At  this  time  France 
had  two  hundred  lodges,  twenty-two  of  which  were  located 
in  Paris.  The  provincial  grand  lodges  instituted,  to  the 
present  time,  in  different  countries,  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
England,  in  their  turn  now  began  to  organize  themselves 
into  independent  grand  lodges. 

A.  D.  1741. 

Foundation  of  the  provincial  grand  lodge  of  Hanover, 
at  Hanover;  and  the  provincial  grand  lodge  of  Saxony,  at 
Dresden,  by  the  Count  Rutowski,  who  is  elected  grand 
master,  and  which  became  an  independent  grand  lodge  in 
1755. 

A.  D.  1742. 

Founding  of  the  provincial  grand  lodge  of  the  Sun  at 
Beyrouth,  and  a  provincial  grand  lodge  at  Antigua,  for 
the  English  West  Indies. 

A.  D.  1744. 

The  grand  lodge  at  the  Three  Globes,  in  Berlin,  which 
was  organized  in  1640  by  Baron  Bielfeld  is  this  year  ele- 
vated to  the  rank  of  a  grand  lodge  by  Frederick  the  Great, 


THIRD  CHRONOLOGICAL  EPOCH.  319 

king  of  Prussia,  and  he  is  elected  its  permanent  grand 
master,  a  position  which  he  filled  until  1747.  (In  1849 
this  grand  lodge  had  organized  fourteen  operative  lodges.) 

A.  D.  1746. 

Lord  Derwentwater,  the  first  grand  master  of  the  prov- 
incial grand  lodge  of  France,  perishes  upon  the  scaffold,  a 
victim  of  his  attachment  to  the  Pretender,  Charles  Edward 
Stuart. 

A.  D.  1747. 

The  Grand  Lodge  of  Scotland  institutes,  at  Copenhagen, 
a  provincial  grand  lodge  for  Denmark,  which,  shortly  after- 
ward, proclaimed  its  independence  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
Scotland.  In  this  year  Charles  Edward  Stuart,  known  as 
"the  Pretender,"  son  of  James  II,  deposed  king  of  Eng- 
land, institutes  the  chapter  of  Arras,  and  delivers  to  the 
Masons  who  are  attached  to  his  person  a  hull  of  institution, 
or  letters  patent,  for  a  governing  chapter  of  what  he  named 
the  Scottish  Jacobite  Rite. 

A.  D.  1751. 

Freemasonry,  as  constituted  in  London  thirty  years  ago, 
has  now  extended  into  nearly  every  civilized  country.  Its 
humanitarian  doctrines  and  the  civilizing  principles  it 
manifested,  together  with  its  radical  leaning  toward  the 
dogma  of  "  Liberty,  Equality,  Fraternity,"  had,  by  this 
time,  intimidated  kings,  popes,  and  princes  to  such  an  ex- 
tent that  they  seek  to  arrest  its  progress.  As  early  as  1731 
edicts  had  been  promulgated  against  it  in  Russia,  while  in 
1735,  in  Holland,  and  in  1737-'38-'44-'45,  at  Paris,  similar 
interdictions  had  been  ordered.  At  Rome  and  in  Florence, 
the  meetings  of  Freemasons  were  prohibited,  as  also  in 
Sweden,  Hamburg,  and  Geneva  the  bull  of  Pope  Clement 
was  enforced.  The  Holy  Inquisition,  as  the  court  accusa- 
tive in  those  countries  wherein  it  existed,  caused  the  breth- 
ren to  be  imprisoned,  and  their  books  and  papers  to  be 


320  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF    FREEMASONRY. 

burned  by  the  bands  of  the  public  executioner.  But  to 
crown  all  these  persecutions,  King  diaries  of  Naples,  as 
also  Ferdinand  VII,  king  of  Spain,  wishing  to  interdict 
Masonry  within  their  States,  rendered  edicts  prohibiting 
the  assemblage  of  Freemasons,  under  pain  of  death ;  and 
the  pope,  Benedict  XIV,  renewed  this  year  the  bull  of 
excommunication  of  Clement  XII,  in  1738,  against  the 
Freemasons,  whose  assemblies  he  interdicted  under  penalty 
of  death.  Bat  all  these  violent  measures  had  but  slight 
effect  in  stopping  the  progress  of  Masonry,  which  finds  it- 
self propagated  upon  the  civilized  globe  with  a  rapidity 
that  nothing  can  arrest.  Notwithstanding  the  bull  of 
Benedict  XIV,  Freemasonry  is  practiced  at  this  time  openly 
in  Tuscany,  at  Naples,  and  in  many  other  parts  of  the  Ital- 
ian peninsula.  At  Rome,  even,  there  are  lodges  which 
adopt  but  feeble  measures  to  keep  themselves  hidden. 

A.  D.  1753. 

The  Masonic  Orphan  Asylum  is  established  at  Stock- 
holm. Its  fund  is  the  accumulation  of  special  collections 
taken  up  in  the  Swedish  lodges.  (At  the  present  time  this 
institution  is  very  rich.) 

A.  D.  1754. 

Under  a  patent  or  charter  from  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Scot- 
land, the  provincial  grand  lodge  of  Sweden  is  organized. 
The  Grand  Lodge  of  England  transmits  charters  to  organize 
lodges  in  South  Carolina,  Guadalonpe,  and  Gibraltar,  and 
in  this  year  many  new  lodges  are  instituted  in  England. 
The  Templar  system,  created  by  the  partisans  of  the  Stuarts, 
is  revived  at  Paris  by  the  institution  of  the  chapter  of  Cler- 
mont,  in  the  convent  of  that  name,  under  the  direction  of 
the  Chevalier  de  Bonneville. 

A.  D.  1753. 

The  Grand  Lodge  of  England,  in  consequence  of  the 


THIRD  CHRONOLOGICAL  EPOCH.  321 

schism  that  has  taken  place  in  its  ranks,  establishes  the  cus- 
tom of  granting  diplomas  to  the  brethren  under  its  jurisdic- 
tion, to  distinguish  them  from  those  initiated  by  the  seceders. 

A.  D.  1756. 

The  English  grand  lodge  in  France,  instituted  in  1736, 
and  which  took  the  title  in  1743,  detaches  itself  from  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  London,  and  proclaims  itself  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  France.  The  confusion  manifested  under  the 
grand  mastership  of  the  Duke  of  Clerrnont,  however,  does 
not  abate,  but  rather  increases.  By  constitutions  delivered 
to  masters  of  lodges,  securing  them  in  the  enjoyment  of 
such  office  for  life,  Masonic  authorities  never  contemplated 
are  established  in  France.  The  practice,  begun  with  a 
political  motive  by  the  lodge  of  St.  Andrew  of  Scotland, 
situate  at  Edinburgh,  wras  continued  by  the  English  pro- 
vincial grand  lodge  of  France,  and  the  confusion  thus  en- 
gendered the  new  Masonic  authority,  into  which  that  body 
has  resolved  itself,  now  finds  it  impossible  to  correct. 
Those  masters  of  lodges,  for  the  sake  of  gain,  vend  the 
privileges  accorded  to  themselves;  and,  to  do  this  the  more 
easily,  they  fabricate  false  titles,  and  antedate  charters  and 
diplomas.  In  shaking  off  the  control  of  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  England,  and  in  proclaiming  itself  the  grand  lodge  of 
the  kingdom  of  France,  that  body  declared  in  its  constitu- 
tion to  sacredly  continue  the  custom  of  granting  personal 
titles  to  these  lodge  masters  ad  vitam  and,  by  so  doing,  in- 
creased the  existing  confusion  ;  for  the  result  was  that  these 
masters  governed  their  lodges  not  more  by  the  forms  laid 
down  by  the  grand  lodge  than  by  their  individual  caprices, 
and  this,  taken  with  the  vending  of  authorities  to  open 
lodges,  which  lodges,  in  their  turn,  felt  at  liberty  to  organize 
grand  lodges,  (or  bodies  in  authority  amounting  thereto,) 
chapters,  councils,  and  tribunals  embracing  the  objects  and 
practice  of  all  the  degrees  then  known,  created,  at  this  time, 
so  chaotic  a  condition  that  it  was  apparently  impossible 
21 


322  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

to  determine    the    legal   governing  Masonic  authority  in 
France. 

A.  D.  1756. 

In  this  year  the  national  grand  lodge  of  Italy  was  or- 
ganized at  Naples.  (In  1790  this  body  was  dissolved.) 
At  the  Hague  the  representatives  of  thirty  lodges  in  the 
Netherlands  constitute  a  grand  lodge  of  the  United  Prov- 
inces, and  elect  the  Baron  of  Aersen-Beyereii  first  grand 
master. 

A.  D.  1758. 

The  Grand  Lodge  of  Scotland,  at  Edinburgh,  in  adopting 
and  conferring  the  high  degrees,  and  establishing  rituals 
for  each  of  these  degrees,  renders  herself  liable  to  the  same 
charges  of  un masonic  conduct  which  she  had  but  a  short 
time  before  directed  against  the  Grand  Lodge  of  England, 
viz.:  of  changing  the  basis  of  Freemasonry  and  altering 
the  rituals.  These  high  degrees  give  her,  however,  an  in- 
fluence not  before  enjoyed,  and  creates  a  corresponding 
energy  in  the  work  of  the  Scotch  lodges.  Perceiving  the 
increasing  prosperity  of  her  sister  grand  lodge  at  London, 
occasioned  mainly  by  the  custom,  originated  by  the  latter, 
of  establishing,  every-where,  provincial  grand  lodges,  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  Scotland,  for  the  purpose  of  initiating  a  like 
proceeding,  authorized  a  Colonel  Young  as  provincial 
grand  master  of  such  lodges  as  he  might  organize,  as  well 
as  those  already  existing  and  holding  their  charters  from 
the  Grand  Lodge  of  Scotland  in  North  America  and  the 
British  West  Indies,  with  plenary  powers  to  introduce  the 
high  degrees  then  known  to  Scottish  Masonry  into  those 
countries. 

A.  D.  17GO. 

At  Avignon,  the  mother  lodge  of  the  Rite  of  Swedenborg 
is  instituted  by  the  Benedictine  monk  Dom  Pernctti,  and 
a  Pole  named  Grabianca.  The  philosopher  Swedenborg, 
one  of  the  most  learned  and  illustrious  Freemasons  of  his 


THIRD    CHRONOLOGICAL   EPOCH.  823 

time,  in  instituting  this  rite,  had  in  view  a  desire  to  reform 
the  Roman  Catholic  religion.  The  dogmas  of  the  reform 
of  Swedenborg  are  adopted  by  a  good  many  influential 
persons  in  Sweden,  England,  and  Germany,  where  societies 
which  practice  his  religious  system  have  been  formed  by 
these  persons. 

A.  D.  1760. 

In  this  year  Freemasonry  in  Germany  was  greatly  con- 
fused and  injured  by  the  introduction  of  the  high  degrees 
of  every  kind  known  to  and  having  their  inception  in 
France.  Chapters  of  Emperors  of  the  East  and  West, with 
a  rite  of  twenty -five  degrees,  (subsequently  known  as  the 
Rite  of  Perfection,)  founded  in  Paris  in  1758  by  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  Chapter  of  Clermont,  are  the  children  of 
this  parent,  and  they  are  introduced  by  the  Marquis  of 
Berny,  a  French  gentleman,  into  the  lodge  at  the  Three 
Globes,  in  Berlin.  This  lodge  propagates  this  right  by  the 
aid  of  its  deputy  Rosa,  a  Lutheran  priest,  who  in  a  short 
time  has  organized  seventeen  lodges.  Subsequently  the 
army  of  Broglie  introduced  the  other  rites,  such  as  Tem- 
plarism,  Rosecrucianism,  etc.,  until,  in  a  few  years,  the 
brethren  in  Germany  are  in  as  great  confusion,  as  to  what 
is  and  what  is  not  Freemasonry,  as  they  are  in  France. 

A.  D.  1762. 

At  this  time  Freemasonry  had  attained  great  progress, 
the  different  grand  lodges  of  Europe  having  instituted 
lodges  in  nearly  every  part  of  the  world.  The  baron  of 
Hand  introduces  into  Germany  the  Templar  system  known 
as  "Strict  Observance,"  which  he  has  studied  at  Paris, 
where  he  was  initiated  into  the  high  degrees  of  the  chapter 
of  Clermont. 

A.  D.  1763. 

The  two  parties  into  which  the  Grand  Lodge  of  France 
had  been  divided,  in  consequence  of  the  maladministration 


324  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

of  the  grand  master,  the  duke  of  Clermont,  reunited  IE 

1762,  after  having-,   during  their  separation,  injured  the 
Masonic  institution  almost  beyond  repair,  by  their  crea- 
tions of  moveable  lodges  and  immoveable  matters.     Not- 
withstanding the  union,  confusion,  consequent  upon  their 
previous  misconduct,  continued,  and  the  effects  of  the  high 
degrees  are  as  apparent  for  evil  as  they  are  lamentable,  not 
only  in  France,  but  wherever  they  have  been  introduced. 

A.  D.  1764. 

A  man  named  Johnson,  a  secret  agent  of  the  Jesuits, 
who  styled  himself  Envoy  and  Plenipotentiary  of  the  un- 
known superiors  of  Strict  Observance,  establishes  at  Jena 
some  chapters  of  this  system.  He  announced,  in  an  assem- 
bly that  he  convoked  at  this  place  on  the  25th  December, 

1763,  that  he  alone  had  the  power  of  conferring  the  de- 
grees of  the  system  and  organizing  chapters,  by  virtue  of 
the  documents,  patents,  and  briefs  granted  to  him  by  the 
unknown  superiors  of  his  system  in  Scotland.     At  a  sec- 
ond convention,  assembled  on  the  14th  of  June  of  this  year 
(1764),  he  invited  the  presence  of  Baron  Hund,  who  had 
been  engaged  in  similar  duty  elsewhere  in  Germany  since 
1762.     At  this  convention  the  baron,  who  had  never  heard 
of  unknown  superiors,  requested  the  privilege  of  inspecting 
the  documents,  patents,  etc.,  possessed  by  Johnson,  which 
request  being  refused,  the  baron  denounced  this  self-styled 
plenipotentiary  as  an  arrant  irnposter. 

A.  D.  1765. 

The  baron  of  Hund  is  elected  at  Jena,  grand  master  of 
the  Templar  System  of  Germany,  styled  "  Strict  Observ- 
ance." 

A.  D.  1766. 

By  an  edict  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  France,  all  charters 
granted  by  chapters,  councils,  colleges,  and  tribunals  of  the 
high  degrees  are  declared  void  and  of  no  effect.  The  at- 


THIRD  CHRONOLOGICAL  EPOCH.  325 

tempt  to  enforce  this  decree  causes  greater  confusion  than 
ever  among  the  Masons  in  France.  The  Grand  Lodge  of 
England  organizes  a  provincial  grand  lodge  for  the  country 
of  the  Lower  Rhine. 

A.  D.  1770. 

At  Avignon  is  organized  the  grand  Scottish  lodge  of  the 
county  Venaissin,  which  adopts  the  Hermetic  Rite  of  Sweden- 
borg.  The  Grand  Lodge  of  the  United  Provinces,  sitting 
at  the  Hague,  proclaims  itself  the  National  Grand  Lodge 
of  Holland,  iii  accordance  with  an  agreement  entered  into 
with  the  Grand  Lodge  of  England,  and  notifies  all  the  grand 
lodge^\of  Europe  of  this  fact. 

/  A.  D.  1772. 

Unoet^the  grand  mastership  of  Louis  Philippe  Joseph 
D' Orleans,  auke  of  Chartres,  the  National  Grand  Lodge  of 
France  is  dissolved,  and  the  Grand  Orient  of  France  organ- 
ized.1 Ferdinand,  duke  of  Brunswick,  is  elected  grand 
master  of  the  lodges  organized  under  the  Templar  system 
of  Strict  Observance. 

A.  D.  1773. 

Under  letters  patent  from  the  Grand  Lodge  of  England 
is  organized  the  National  Grand  Lodge  of  Germany.  This 
grand  lodge  had  been  in  course  of  organization  since  1770, 
aud  this  year,  representing  twelve  operative  lodges,  its  tirst 
act  was  to  adopt  the  ritual  of  Zienneudorf,  its  most  intelli- 
gent and  able  friend  and  chief  officer. 

A.  D.  1775. 
A  grand  lodge  is  organized  at  Basle,  under  the  name  of 

lThe  Grand  Orient  at  first  adopted  the  modern  English  rite  of  three  sym- 
bolic degrees,  and  called  it  the  French  Rite.  Five  years  afterward,  in  its 
circular  of  the  3d  of  August,  1777,  it  exhibited  all  that  was  dangerous  and 
anti-masonic  in  the  rituals  of  the  high  degrees,  and  refused  to  recognize 
them;  and  yet.  ten  years  afterward,  it  is  obliged,  perhaps  unwillingly  to 
constitute  chapters  of  those  very  high  degrees! 


826  GENERAL   HISTORY   OP   FREEMASONRY. 

the  Scottish  Helvetian  Directory.  The  grand  master,  Ferdi- 
nand of  Brunswick,  convoked  in  that  city  a  congress,  to 
consider  the  idea  of  uniting  all  the  rites.  The  baron  of 
Hand,  and  the  representatives  of  twenty-two  lodges  of  tho 
system  propagated  by  him,  were  present  at  this  assembly. 
The  discussions  began  on  the  23d  of  May,  and  closed  on 
the  Gth  of  July,  with  no  result. 

A.  D.  1775. 

A  mother  lodge  of  the  Scotch  Philosophic  Rite,  under 
the  name  of  "  Social  Contract,"  is  constituted  by  the  grand 
lodge  of  the  county  Venaissin. 

A.  D.  1778. 

Under  the  pretext  to  reform  Masonry,  and  throw  light 
upon  many  obscure  points  in  the  rituals,  the  lodge  styled 
Benevolent  Knights  of  the  Templars  (Strict  Observance) 
System,  convoke  a  congress  at  Lyons;  but  as  there  was 
nothing  discussed  but  a  proposed  change  of  rituals,  it  was 
evident  that  the  real  object  of  the  assembly  was  to  substi- 
tute the  Martinist  for  the  Templar  ritual,  which  was  so 
done. 

The  congress  of  Wolfenbuttel,  convoked  by  Ferdinand, 
duke  of  Brunswick,  grand  master  of  the  Templar  system 
in  Germany,  assembled  at  Brunswick  for  the  same  object 
that  had  been  discussed  at  the  previous  meeting,  called  by 
him  in  1775.  The  congress  remained  in  session  from  the 
15th  July  to  the  27th  August ;  and  the  assembly,  finding 
it  impossible  to  work  their  way  through  the  chaos  of  mys- 
ticism into  which  the  numerous  S3'stems  of  high  degrees 
had  plunged  Freemasonry,  decided  that  there  should 
oe  convened,  the  following  year,  at  Wiesbaden,  a  gen- 
eral congress  of  all  the  most  intelligent  Masons  in  Ger- 
many. 

In  this  year  is  instituted  a  grand  lodge  at  St.  Petersburg, 
Russia. 


THIRD  CHRONOLOGICAL  EPOCH.  327 

A.  D.  1779. 

This  year  the  Masonic  Benevolent  School  is  instituted  at 
London,  by  some  members  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  England. 
The  object  of  the  society  is  to  help  and  support  the  infirm, 
the  aged,  and  those  in  prison;  also  to  protect  the  wives, 
children,  or  orphans  of  deceased  members. 

A.  D.  1780. 

A  council  of  the  high  degrees,  called  the  Emperors  of 
the  East  and  West,  take  the  title  of  Sublime  Scottish 
MoThei^Lodge  of  the  great  globe  of  France,  and  Sovereign 
Grand  Lodge.  This  authority  sets  itself  up  as  the  rival  of 
the  National  Grand  Lodge,  and  the  Grand  Orient  disgraces 
itself  by  a^sUaineful  commerce  of  the  Masonic  degrees. 

A.  D.  1782. 

The  congress  of  Wiihelmsbad,  convoked  by  Ferdinand, 
duke  of  Brunswick,  agreeably  with  the  decision  of  the  con- 
gress of  1778,  invites  all  the  grand  lodges  of  Europe  to 
participate.  Proposed  to  convene,  at  first,  on  the  15th  of 
October,  1781,  it  was  postponed  until  Easter  week,  1782, 
and  finally  assembled  on  the  16th  July  of  this  year.  In 
this  congress,  the  way  for  which  was  opened  by  those  of 
Wolfenbuttel  and  Lyons,  where  a  general  reform  of  Free- 
masonry, as  practiced  generally  upon  the  continent,  was 
urgently  recommended,  a  great  many  questions  were  pro- 
posed for  discussion  and  decision,  among  which  were  the 
following : 

Is  Freemasonry  a  modern  society  ?  Is  it,  on  the  con- 
trary, derived  from  an  ancient  society  ?  If  so,  what  society 
is  it  the  descendant  of?  Has  the  present  society  unknown 
superiors?  If  so,  what  are  their  privileges  and  attri- 
butes ? 

These  questions,  and  others  of  minor  importance,  sub- 
mitted, during  a  session  of  thirty  daily  meetings,  though 
freely  discussed,  elicited  no  satisfactory  solution.  The  con- 


328  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF    FREEMASONRY. 

gress,  however,  succeeded  in  extinguishing  a  number  of  so- 
called  Masonic  systems,  and  altering  others. 

It  was  in  this  year  that  Joseph  Balsamo,  better  known  as 
Count  Cagliastro,  succeeded  in  organizing  at  Lyons  the 
mother  lodge  of  his  rite,  styled  Egyptian,  under  the  title 
of  "  Wisdom  Triumphant." 

A.  D.  1783. 

A  grand  lodge  of  the  Eclectic  Rite,  composed  of  the 
provincial  grand  lodges  of  Frankfort  and  Wetzlar,  is  or- 
ganized at  Frankfort.  This  rite  was  the  creation  of  mem- 
bers of  this  grand  lodge,  who,  selecting  from  all  the  rites 
and  systems,  as  exhibited  at  the  congress  of  Wilhelmsbad, 
such  points  and  parts  as  seemed  to  them  most  rational, 
styled  their  creation  the  "Eclectic  Rite."  In  the  circular 
addressed  by  this  grand  lodge  to  the  Masonic  authorities 
of  Europe,  announcing  the  reform  they  had  instituted,  it 
was  distinctly  declared  that  all  speculation  in  magic,  cabal- 
istics,  Ternplarism,  and  other  follies  of  the  day,  were  by 
this  grand  lodge  renounced  and  forbidden  to  its  jurisdiction, 
and  that  Freemasonry,  in  the  purity  of  its  institution,  ac- 
cording to  the  regulations  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  England,, 
as  promulgated  in  1723,  was  the  only  style  of  Freemasonry 
it  would  thereafter  recognize. 

A.  D.  1784. 

A  new  grand  orient  of  Poland  is  organized  at  Yarsovia. 
A  grand  lodge  of  Austria  is  organized  at  Vienna.  A 
mother  lodge  of  adoption  of  the  Egyptian  masonry  of 
Count  Cagliastro  is  instituted  by  him,  of  which  the  prince 
of  Montmorenci  Luxembourg  accepts  the  grand  master- 
ship. 

A.  D.  1785. 

The  congress  of  the  Philaletes  is  convoked  at  Pans  to 
disentangle  Freemasonry  from  the  mass  of  high  degrees 


THIRD    CHRONOLOGICAL    EPOCH. 


329 


and  mystic  systems ;  but  though  in  session  from  the  15th 
February  to  the  26th  May,  it  failed  in  its  object. 

A.  D.  1786. 

A  Grand  Orient  of  Geneva  is  organized  by  the  seven 
lodges  in  that  city.  (This  grand  lodge  was  dissolved  in 
1790  by  the  incorporation  of  this  city  into  the  territory  of 
France.)  A  provincial  grand  lodge  is  instituted  at  Rouen, 
by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  St.  John,  at  Edinburgh,  with  a 
the  order  of  Harodim,  of  Kilwinniug. 

A.  D.  1787. 

The  secon^Ljspngress  of  the  Philaletes  is  convoked  at 
Paris,  to  continue  the  discussions  begun  at  that  of  1785, 
upon  such  dogmatic  and  historical  points  as  had  been  sub- 
mitted to  the  congress  of  Wilhelmsbad.  None  of  the 
questions,  however,  were  satisfactorily  decided,  and  the 
origin,  nature,  and  object  of  Freemasonry  continued  to  be 
an  insoluble  problem  to  the  greater  number  of  the  Free- 
masons of  the  continent. 

A.  D.  1800. 

During  the  past  century  the  modern  or  philosophic 
Freemasonry,  as  instituted  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  London 
in  1717-'23,  was  introduced  at  the  dates  given  in  the 
various  countries  and  states  named  below : 


England 1717. 

Ireland 1720. 

Scotland 1721. 

France 1721. 

Belgium 1721. 

Holland 1725. 

Gibraltar 1726. 

Spain 1728. 

Hamburg 1736. 

Sweden 1731. 

Naples 1732. 


EUROPE. 

Tuscany, 1732. 

Russia 1732. 

Florence 1733. 

Portugal 1733. 

Switzerland 1736. 

Sardinia 1737. 

Saxony 1738. 

Bavaria 1738. 

Prussia 1738. 

Austria 1738. 

Turkey 1738. 


Poland 1739. 

Malta 1741. 

Denmark 1742. 

Rome 1742. 

Bohemia 1744. 

Hungary 1744. 

Norway  1744. 

Guernsey 1753. 

Jersey 1753. 

Hanover...,  ...1754. 


330 


GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 


ASIA. 

Benga 1727.     Surinam 1771. 

Bombay  1728.     Ceylon 1771. 

Madras 1752. 

OCEANICA. 

Java 1730.     Sumatra.... 


Prince    of    Wales 

Islands 1780. 

Persia...,  ...1789. 


,1772. 


Cape  of  Good  Hope,  1733. 
Cape  Coast 1736. 

Canada 1721. 

Massachusetts 1733. 

Georgia 1734. 

South  Carolina 1736. 

New  York 1737. 

St.  Christopher 1738. 

Martinique 1738. 

Antigua 1742. 


AFRICA. 

Senegambia 1736. 

Mauritius 1744. 

AMERICA. 

Jamaica 1743. 

St.  Vincent 1745. 

Porto  Rico 1746. 

St.  Domingo 1746. 

Barbadoes 1750. 

Guadaloupe 1751. 

Pennsylvania 1753. 

Trinidad 1760. 

North  Carolina..   ..1788. 


Isle  of  France 1778. 

St.  Helena 1798. 


Grenada 1764. 

Newfoundland 1765. 

Dutch  Guiana 1770. 

Vermont 1770. 

Bermuda 1771. 

Louisiana 1780. 

Maryland 1781. 

Nova  Scotia  ..,     ...1762. 


Freemasonry  was  interdicted  or  prohibited  during  the 
past  century  in  the  countries  and  cities  named,  and  at  the 
different  dates  given  below,  viz.: 


Russia 1731,  '94,  '97.     Vienna. 

Holland 1735,  '37. 


1743. 

Canton  of  Berne 1743,  '70,  82. 

Paris 1737,  '38,  '44.     Austrian  States 1742,  '64. 

Sweden 1738.     Turkey 1748 

Hamburg 1738.     Spain 1751. 

Geneva 1738.     Naples t. 1752,  '75. 

Roman  States 1739,  '51.     Dantzic 1763. 

Portugal 1739,  '42,  '76,  '92.     Aix-la-Chapelle 1779. 

Florence 1739.     Morocco 1784. 

Marseilles 1742.     Basle 1785. 

A.  D.  1804. 

The  Count  De  Grasse  Tilly  organizes  a  central  grand 
odge  of  France,  with  a  supreme  council,  at  Paris. 

A.  D.  1805. 

The  Grand  Orient  of  Lusitania  is  organized  at  Lisbon ; 
also  the  Grand  Orient  of  Italy  at  Milan. 


THIRD   CHRONOLOGICAL   EPOCH.  331 

A.  D.  1806. 

The  Grand  Lodge  of  Scotland  organizes  at  Xeres  a  grand 
lodge  for  all  Spain.  The  Grand  Orient  of  Baden  is  organ- 
ized at  Alaunheim. 

A.  D.  1807. 

The  Grand  Lodge  of  Harodim  of  Kilwinning,  acknowl- 
edged tO~ha^e  existed  as  Canongate  Kilwinning  lodge  of 
Freemasons  since  the  construction  of  the  abbey  of  Kil- 
winning, in  ^.150,  surrenders  its  independence  as  a  self- 
constituted  grand  lodge,  and  takes  rank  with  the  lodges 
of  its  creation,  under  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Scotland,  as  Can- 
ongate Kilvvinuing,  No.  2. 

A.  D.  1809. 

A  grand  orient  of  Naples  is  organized  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Prince  Joachim,  duke  of  Berg.  Also  a  grand 
orient  of  Spain  is  organized  at  Madrid. 

A.  D.  1811. 

A  grand  orient  of  Westphalia  is  organized  at  Cassel. 
Charles  XIII,  king  of  Sweden,  institutes  a  civil  order, 
which  he  confers  upon  deserving  Freemasons. 

A.  D.  1813. 

\ 

The  two  grand  lodges  of  England — that  of  York,  the 
legitimate  successor  of  the  organization  of  926,  and  which 
in  1755  merged  into  the  schismatic  grand  lodge,  under  the 
title  of  the  "  Grand  Lodge  of  Ancient  York  Masons,"  and 
that  of  London,  founded  in  1717,  under  the  title  of  the 
"  Grand  Lodge  of  Free  and  Accepted  Masons  " — are  this 
year  united.  By  this  union  are  terminated  all  the  differ- 
ences which  had  caused  so  much  hitterness  during  the 
past  fifty  or  sixty  years.  In  the  act  of  union,  dated  .De- 
cember 1,  1813,  the  ancient  laws,  as  well  written  as  tra- 
ditional, are  explicitly  recognized,  and  taken  for  the  basis 


332  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

of  this  act,  and  it  is  drawn  up  in  that  spirit  of  fraternity 
which  dictated  the  charter  of  York,  A.  D.  926.  It  also 
recognized  and  proclaimed  that  the  ancient  and  true  Free- 
masonry is  composed  of  but  three  degrees,  viz.:  those  of 
apprentice,  fellow-craft,  and  master  mason. 

A.  D.  1814. 

On  the  15th  of  Aug\ist  of  this  year  Pope  Pius  VII  pub- 
lishes his  edict  against  the  Masonic  society,  in  which  he 
pronounces  corporal  punishment,  even  to  death,  and  the 
confiscation  of  all  his  property,  upon  any  person  who 
should  join  or  be  known  by  the  authorities  to  belong  to 
this  society.  This  edict  is  immediately  followed  with  like 
prohibitions  by  the  regent  of  Milan,  Henry  IV  of  Venice, 
Maximien  Joseph,  king  of  Bavaria,  the  emperor  of  Aus- 
tria, the  king  of  Spain,  the  grand  duke  of  Baden,  and 
finally  by  the  duke  of  Parma.  All  these  edicts  repeat,  in 
their  turn,  accusations  similar  to  those  contained  in  the 
bull  of  Pius  VII,  and  interdicted,  in  their  several  States, 
all  Masonic  assemblies,  under  whatever  name  they  might 
be  held.  All  the  lodges  existing  in  these  countries  are 
immediately  closed. 

The  famous  edict  of  Pius  VII  is  a  document  as  curious 
as  it  is  incomprehensible  for  the  time  at  which  it  was  pub- 
lished;  for  the  accusations  it  contains  against  the  Frater- 
nity are  without  a  shadow  of  foundation.  The  tendency 
of  the  Masonic  society  being  continually  toward  the  ame- 
lioration of  the  moral  and  intellectual  condition  of  the 
people,  it  is  a  natural  but  free  auxiliary  of  an  enlightened 
government  desiring  progress,  and  desiring  it  gradually. 
This  same  pope  reestablished  the  order  of  the  Jesuits, 
which  had  been  abolished  by  Clement  XIV. 

A.  D.  1816. 

Foundation,  in  Paris,  of  the  mother  lodge  of  the  Rite  of 
Misrairn,  under  the  title  of  the  "  Rainbow." 


THIRD    CHRONOLOGICAL   EPOCH.  333 

A.  D.  1817. 

The  Fraternity  in  Holland  mark  the  bounds  of  their 
grand  lodge  jurisdiction  by  the  organization  of  two  grand 
lodges  independent  of  the  grand  orient  situate  at  the 
Hague.  One  of  these  is  located  at  the  Hague;  the  other 
at  BrusselfJ. 

A.  D.  1818. 

Prince  Frederick,  grand  master  of  the  lodges  of  the  Low 
Countries,  interdicts  the  exercise  of  the  Rite  of  Misraim. 

A.  D.  1822. 

The  emperor  of  Russia  publishes  a  ukase  which,  inter- 
dicts the  meetings  of  Freemasons  within  the  empire. 

A.  D.  1824. 

The  king  of  Portugal  interdicts  Freemasonry  in  his 
kingdom. 

A.  D.  1825. 

General  Lafayette  is  welcomed  to  Boston,  is  feasted  by 
the  brethren  and  citizens,  and  attends  at  the  laying  of  the 
corner-stone  of  the  monument  subsequently  erected  near 
that  city  to  perpetuate  the  remembrance  of  the  defense  of 
the  rights  and  liberties  of  America. 

A.  D.  1827. 

Renewal  by  the  pope  of  the  edict  of  Pius  VII  against 
the  Freemasons. 

A.  D.  1827. 

The  Mexican  Congress,  provoked  by  the  calumnies  of 
the  clergy,  take  measures  to  retain  the  Freemasons  of  that 
country  from  increasing  their  meetings,  which  were  be- 
lieved to  be  devoted  more  to  political  discussions  than  to 
any  other  business. 

In  the  United  States  some  circumstances  take  place,  in 
the  State  of  New  York,  calculated  to  fix  the  public  mind 


334  GENERAL   HISTORY  OF  FREEMASONRY. 

upon  the  Fraternity,  and,  for  the  first  time,  public  notice 
is  taken  of  the  society  in  the  Congress  of  that  country. 

A.  D.  1828. 

The  king  of  Spain  renews  his  edict  against  the  Free- 
masons. 

A.  D.  1832. 

The  Grand  Orient  of  Belgium  is  instituted  at  Brussels, 
arid  a  Masonic  authority,  styled  the  Supreme  Council  for 
Belgium,  is  also  organized.  At  Frankfort,  a  Jewish  lodge, 
styled  the  "Frankfort  Eagle,"  is  instituted,  under  the 
authority  of  the  Grand  Orient  of  France.  In  Germany, 
obedient  to  the  injunctions  of  the  authorities  which  insti- 
tuted them,  the  operative  lodges  refused  to  acknowledge 
the  members  of  the  Jewish  lodge,  and,  contrary  to  the 
principles  of  Masonry,  they  close  their  doors  against  them. 

A.  D.  1836. 

Some  disputes  spring  up  among  the  lodges  of  Germany, 
principally  in  Berlin,  with  regard  to  the  admission  of  Is- 
raelites into  the  lodges.  The  refusal  of  many  of  the  lodges 
to  affiliate,  or  to  admit  them  to  seats  in  their  assemblies, 
notwithstanding  they  have  been  regularly  initiated,  pro- 
duced numerous  controversies.  In  a  sort  of  congress  of 
Jewish  Masons,  held  at  Berlin,  they  prepare  an  address  to 
the  mother  lodges  of  Berlin,  and  adjure  them,  in  the  name 
of  Masonic  principles,  in  the  name  of  justice  and  reason, 
to  withdraw  the  restrictions  against  them.  This  important 
question,  introduced  and  discussed  at  divers  meetings  of 
grand  lodges  of  Berlin,  Dresden,  and  Frankfort,  can  not  be 
decided  satisfactorily.  To  the  assertion  of  those  lodges 
which  refused  to  admit  the  Israelites,  upon  the  principle 
that  Masonry  is  essentially  a  Christian  institution,  with  the 
Holy  Bible  its  greatest  symbol,  and  upon  which  no  Jew 
can  be  sworn,  was  opposed  by  the  counter  assertion  that 
Masonry  is  not  a  Christian  but  a  universal  institution,  hav- 


THIRD    CHRONOLOGICAL    EPOCH.  335 

ing  for  its  jbject  to  rally  under  one  banner  and  unite  un- 
der one  bo-id  all  religionists;  that,  following  the  standard 
of  no  proohet,  neither  Moses,  Christ,  nor  Mahomet,  it 
adopts  the  sublime  doctrine  of  the  second  of  these  law- 
givers, seeing  that  such  doctrine  embodies  more  nearly  than 
any  other  the  universal  spirit  of  charity  and  brotherly 
love  which  Freemasonry  would  inculcate,  to  the  end  that 
b(y  opening  her  temples  to  men  of  every  worship  she  may 
tiwrefffTrefeytheni  from  the  prejudices  of  their  country  and 
the  errors  oi\ their  religious  education,  and  teach  them  to 
regard  each  other  but  as  brethren  all  united  in  the  bonds 
of  peace,  science,  and  labor.1 

A.  D.  1841. 

The  three  grand  lodges  of  Berlin  adopt  measures  to  ex- 
clude Jews  from  their  assemblies,  and  the  benefit  and 
privileges  of  Freemasonry. 

A.  D.  1844. 

Formation  of  the  Alpine  Grand  Lodge  at  Zurich,  by 
the  union  of  the  two  Swiss  Masonic  authorities,  viz. :  the 
Scottish  Helvetian  Directory,  at  Zurich,  and  the  National 
Grand  Lodge,  at  Berne.  The  new  grand  lodge  is  consti- 
tuted in  conformity  with  a  charter  signed  and  accepted  by 
fourteen  lodges  at  Zurich,  on  the  22d  June,  1844. 

A.  D.  1845. 

On  the  30th  of  August,  of  this  year,  agreeably  to  the  in- 
vitation extended  by  the  lodge  "  United  Brothers,"  of  Stras- 
burg,  there  assembled  at  Steinbach,  the  birth-place  of  Er- 
win,  architect  of  the  cathedral  of  Strasburg,  Masons  from 
many  parts,  to  inaugurate  a  statue  to  his  memory,  as  the 
first  grand  master  of  the  Masons  of  Germany  and  France. 

1  The  true  principles  of  Freemasonry,  as  herein  set  forth,  have  not,  how- 
ever, even  to  the  present  time,  removed  those  absurd  gothic  prejudices;  for 
to  this  hour  Jewish  Masons  are  excluded  from  many  German  lodges. 


336  GENERAL    HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

Before  the  dedication  of  the  statue,  it  was  decreed,  at  a 
general  assembly  which  had  taken  place  in  the  town  hall, 
which  was  wreathed  and  adorned  for  the  occasion  as  a  Ma- 
sonic temple,  that  a  Masonic  congress  should  thereafter 
take  place,  in  succession,  in  the  village,  town,  or  city  repre- 
sented by  every  brother  assenting  to  this  proposition. 

A.  D.  1847. 

The  law  of  exclusion  of  1841,  by  which  the  three  grand 
lodges  of  Berlin  had  prohibited  certain  brethren  from  par- 
ticipation in  the  privileges  of  intercommunion  with  the 
lodges  of  their  jurisdiction,  is  at  this  time  again  brought 
up  in  those  grand  lodges.  The  formal  declaration  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  England  to  cease  all  correspondence  and 
relations  with  them,  if  the  paragraph  relating  to  the  exclu- 
sion of  the  Israelites  was  not  effaced  from  their  statutes, 
produced  this  result. 

A.  D.  1848. 

In  conformity-  with  the  constitution  discussed  and  agreed 
to  iii  December  of  this  year,  in  a  congress  to  which  had 
been  invited  all  the  lodges  of  France,  a  JSTational  Grand 
Lodge  for  France  is  organized.  Based  upon  the  demo- 
cratic system  in  its  largest  conception,  this  grand  lodge 
adopted  the  modern  English  rite,  and  gave  it  the  name  of 
Unitary  Rite.  It  notified  all  the  lodges  of  Europe  of  its 
organization  and  decision  as  to  a  rite. 

A.  D.  1849. 

After  the  political  discussions  of  the  preceding  year, 
which  shook  a  great  part  of  Europe,  the  necessity  for  re- 
forms in  the  Masonic  institutions  was  felt  more  than  ever. 
Already  at  different  periods,  since  1820  more  particularly, 
views  had  been  expressed  by  a  great  many  lodges  and  sub- 
mitted to  their  grand  lodges,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining 
changes  in  the  laws,  and  particularly  in  the  exceedingly 
aristocratic  organization  'of  the  mother  lodges ;  and  also 


11 


THIRD    CHRONOLOGICAL    EPOCH.  337 

demanding  to  be  represented  near  these  governing  bodieo 
in  a  manner  more  in  harmony  with  the  ancient  Masonic 
device  of  "  Liberty,  Equality,  and  Fraternity."  These 
views,  however,  were  provocative  of  little  response  and 
o  resuU 

The  political  events,  joined  to  the  symptoms  of  discon- 
t^Ht-whtch^ generally  became  manifest,  and  which  appeared 
likely  to  le\ad  to  complete  revolution,  determined  some 
grand  lodges  to  undertake  some  degrees  of  reform. 

A.  D.  1850. 

At  this  time  Freemasonry  has  extended  into  all  parts  of 
the  civilized  world.  In  EUROPE  it  is  in  a  most  flourishing 
condition,  protected  and  respected.  England,  Scotland, 
Ireland,  Sweden,  Denmark,  Holland,  Prussia,  Saxony,  and 
the  German  States,  France,  Switzerland,  and  the  Protest- 
ant part  of  Bavaria,  number  nearly  three  thousand  lodges, 
governed  by  twenty-one  grand  lodges. 

In  Russia,  Austria,  and  their  dependent  States,  it  is,  on 
the  contrary,  prohibited  ;  also,  in  the  kingdoms  of  Naples, 
Sardinia,  Rome,  Tuscany,  Spain,  and  Portugal. 

In  AFRICA  we  find  lodges  in  Algiers,  at  Alexandria, 
Senegal,  Senegambia,  Guinea,  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope, 
Mozambique,  Canaries,  and  St.  Helena,  Bourbon,  and 
Mauritius;  while  there  are  no  lodges  in  Tunis,  Morocco, 
or  the  Barbary  States. 

In  AMERICA  it  is  every- where  prosperous,  there  being  few, 
if  any,  of  the  States  of  the  American  Union  which  has  not 
its  grand  lodge.  Freemasonry  has  penetrated  into  every 
portion  of  this  vast  continent.  The  British  possessions  of 
Nova  Scotia,  New  Brunswick,  Canada,  and  Newfound- 
land have  each  their  provincial  grand  or  independent  grand 
and  operative  Masonic  lodges;  while  all  the  more  south- 
ern and  western  States  which  latterly  have  been  received 
into  the  Union  have  each  their  grand  and  operative  lodges. 
The  West  India  islands,  Cuba,  Porto  Rico,  have  their 
22 


338  GENERAL   HISTORY  OF   FREEMASONRY. 

lodges,  and  that  of  Hayti  its  grand  and  operative  lodges. 
In  Central  America  it  is  to  be  found  in  the  French,  Dutch, 
and  British  Guianas,  and  also  in  the  republics  of  Venezuela, 
Guatemala,  Columbia,  Bolivia,  and  Peru,  and  the  united 
provinces  of  La  Plata,  Uruguay  and  Paraguay;  while  in 
Rio  Janiero,  capital  of  the  empire  of  Brazil,  there  is  a 
grand  lodge  with  twenty-five  operative  lodges  under  its 
jurisdiction. 

In  ASIA,  Freemasonry  has  existed  for  more  than  a 
century  in  Hindostan.  Lodges  are  to  be  found  in  Bombay, 
Pondicherry,  Alahabad,  Bejapoor,  Chazepoor,  Carnute, 
Darrely,  Concan,  Futteghur,  etc.  At  Agrah  is  to  be  found 
the  Grand  Lodge  of  Bengal ;  while  in  China,  at  Canton,  and 
the  islands  of  Ceylon  and  Prince  of  Wales,  in  Persia  and 
in  Turkey,  lodges  exist.  There  is  no  lodge  in  Japan. 

In  OCEANICA,  Freemasonry  was  introduced  in  1730,  into 
the  island  of  Java.  At  the  present  time,  Sumatra,  New 
Holland,  New  South  Wales,  New  Zealand,  and  Van  Die- 
man's  Land  have  all  their  Masonic  lodges. 

The  number  of  lodges  upon  the  globe,  at  present,  hag 
been  variously  estimated  as  high  as  five  thousand;  of  this 
number,  three  thousand  are  in  Europe,  fifteen  hundred  in 
America,  and  five  hundred  in  Asia,  Africa,  and  Oceanica. 

Thus,  within  a  century  and  a  half,  the  modern  or  Phil- 
osophic. Freemasonry  has  been  propagated  over  the  whole 
surface  of  the  earth,  and  in  its  progress  always  spreading 
seeds  of  civilization  and  friendly  intercourse.  From  habits 
practiced  in  the  lodges,  have  gone  out  principles  of  peace, 
fraternity,  freedom,  and  equality,  which  have  softened  the 
asperities  of  social  intercourse,  given  birth  to  a  greater 
breadth  of  charity  for  the  prejudices  of  mankind,  and  ex- 
panded the  human  mind  beyond  the  exclusiveness  of  caste, 
origin,  national  education,  and  religion.  Is  it,  then,  aston- 
ishing that  the  Roman  Catholic  clergy,  who  are  notorious 
as  partisans  of  the  stationary  order  of  things,  and  bitter 
opponents  of  all  progressive  views  in  human  affairs,  should 


THIRD    CHRONOLOGICAL    EPOCH.  339 

be  opposed  to  an  institution  that  operates  so  insensibly  in 
transforming  and  enlightening  man  to  a  knowledge  of  his 
true  manhood;  and  that  they  should,  from  so  early  a  pe- 
riod in  its  history,  have  perceived  the  true  tendency  of 
the  Masonic  institution,  and  opposed,  with  all  their  power, 
establishment?  On  the  contrary,  the  wonder  is  that 
the^Jia^e-iipt  carried  its  persecution  more  fully  to  the 
bitter  end,  as  it  was  and  has  been  the  only  institution  of 
a  non-clerical  or  lay  character  which  has  stood  between 
them  and  unlimited  power;  but,  fortunately  for  it,  and 
unfortunately  for  them,  it  had  assumed  shape  and  consist- 
ence in  a  country  where,  and  at  a  time  when,  their  power 
was  not  in  the  ascendant.  Upon  the  continent,  however, 
whither  the  institution  rapidly  extended,  the  clergy,  being 
very  powerful,  had  more  success;  yet  here,  finding  it  im- 
possible, from  the  peculiar  nature  of  its  constitution,  to 
use  Freemasonry,  they  resolved  to  abuse  it,  ban  it,  and  ex- 
communicate its  adherents  from  religious  privileges  here 
and  hope  of  heaven  hereafter.  This  failing,  they  finally 
resolved  to  introduce  into  its  lodges  a  number  of  rites  with 
their  degrees,  appealing  to  the  weaker  points  in  the  human 
character,  and  thus  they  succeeded  in  denaturalizing  the 
institution  to  such  an  extent  that  its  original  constitution 
became,  in  a  great  measure,  lost  sight  of.  So  intense,  how- 
ever, did  Jesuitism  labor  in  this  regard,  that  it  overdid 
itself;  for  this  very  denaturalization  led  to  inquiry  and  in- 
vestigation which,  in  evolving  the  true  condition,  unmasked 
the  perpetrators  of  these  wrongs  inflicted  on  the  institution, 
and  restored  it,  in  a  great  degree,  to  its  primitive  simplicity 
and  usefulness. 


340  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF    FREEMASONRY. 


EDICT 

or 

POPE  PIUS  VII  AGAINST  THE  FREEMASONS. 


EDICT. 

IF  the  ancient  legislation  of  the  Roman  States  has  inter- 
dicted, under  penalties  the  most  rigorous,  all  secret  and 
hidden  assemblies,  by  reason  that  their  jealous  clandes- 
tineship  induced  the  belief  that,  in  such  assemblies,  the 
well-being  of  the  state  and  public  tranquillity  were  en- 
dangered, and  that  therein  were  formed  schools  of  de- 
pravity, the  sovereign  pontiffs,  in  like  manner,  are  equally 
bound  to  entertain  a  similar  opinion  as  to  the  object  of 
those  assemblies  of  Freemasons,  Illuminati,  Egyptians  and 
others,  who,  surrounding  their  hidden  operations  with 
forms,  ceremonies,  and  oaths  to  guard  secrets  which  they 
must  believe  are,  at  least,  liable  to  be  suspected  ;  and  as 
their  assemblies  are  particularly  composed  of  persons  of 
divers  nations  and  conditions,  worships  and  degrees  of 
morality,  admitted  without  distinction,  they  can  not  free 
themselves  from  the  suspicion  that  their  assemblies  are 
gotten  up  to  arrange  the  destruction  of  not  only  thrones 
and  governments,  but  even  religion  itself,  and  particularly 
the  only  true  religion  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  of  which 
the  Roman  pontiff  was  constituted  chief,  master,  and 
guardian  by  its  divine  founder  and  legislator  himself. 

Informed  as  to  these  facts,  and  animated  by  their  evan- 
gelical zeal — although  then  they  had  not  foreseen,  as  has 
been  since  generally  remarked,  the  murderous  develop- 
ment and  hidden  designs  of  these  secret  assemblies  and 


EDICT    OF   POPE   PIUS   VII.  341 

infernal  conventicles — the  pontiffs  Clement  XII  and  Bene- 
dict XIV,  of  glorious  memory,  who  have  since  appeared 
at  the  bar  of  God,  opposed  all  their  force  and  their  apos- 
tolic ministry  to  the  debauchery  which  these  assemblies 
evory-where  threatened.  The  first,  by  his  decree,  which, 
commencing  "  In  eminenti  apostolatas  specula,"  published 
the  27th  April,  1738,  not  only  forbade,  but  condemned  in 
all  their  extent,  the  meetings  or  assemblies  of  these  so- 
styled  Freemasons,  or  other  similar  societies,  of  whatever 
denomination  or  by  whatever  designation  they  might  be 
known  ;  and,  subsequently,  by  the  thunders  of  excommunica- 
tion, to  be  incurred  by  the  act,  without  regard  to  any  decla- 
ration made  by  the  accused,  and  from  the  effects  of  which 
none  other  than  the  Roman  pontiff  could  absolve  him,  ex- 
cept at  the  point  of  death,  promulgated  against  all  indi- 
viduals proscribed,  whether  such  accusation  proceeded  from 
their  being  initiated  into  any  of  the  degrees  of  these  so- 
cieties or  from  being  accessory  to  the  initiation  of  others. 
His  immediate  successor,  Benedict  XIV,  knowing  the 
great  interests  involved  and  the  necessity  for  this  dispo- 
sition, particularly  as  regarded  the  well-being  of  the  Cath- 
olic religion  and  the  public  security,  did,  by  a  ne\v  decree, 
which,  commencing  in  these  words,  "  Prov idias  Roman- 
orum  Pontifieum,"  published  on  the  18th  of  May,  1751, 
confirmed  in  its  fullest  extent  the  decree  of  his  prede- 
cessor, not  only  in  the  insertion  of  it,  word  for  word,  in 
his  own  decree,  but  in  explaining  and  expounding  with 
his  usual  wisdom  (§7)  the  motives  which  determined  all 
the  powers  of  the  earth  to  prohibit  Freemasonry,  which 
motives  it  would  be  here  unnecessary  to  enumerate,  but  of 
which  the  justness  is  demonstrated  by  experience,  as  they 
are  well  known  to  most  enlightened  people. 

The  foresight  of  these  two  pontiffs  was  not  confined  to 
this  measure.  They  were  not  ignorant  that  the  horror 
of  crime  and  the  thunders  of  the  Church  were  ordinarily 
sufficient  to  convince  and  advantageously  secure  the  con- 


342  GENERAL    HISTORY   OF    FREEMASONRY. 

sciences  of  the  good,  but  that  these  means  must,  when  di- 
rected toward  the  wicked,  be  aided  by  afflictive  penalties. 
Hence  the  pontiff,  Clement  XII,  by  his  edict,  published  by 
the  cardinal  Joseph  Ferraro,  his  secretary  of  state,  on  the 
14th  January,  1739,  inflicted  the  most  severe  temporal 
punishments  against  the  contumacious,  and  ordered  even, 
among  other  dispositions,  their  effective  execution;  and  to 
which  His  Holiness,  Benedict  XIV,  by  his  published  de- 
cree, gave  a  new  and  additional  force,  charging  all  magis- 
trates for  the  prosecution  under  these  decrees  to  employ 
their  most  active  and  energetic  assistants  to  fully  execute 
the  penalties  therein  prescribed. 

However,  in  the  general  overthrow  of  the  order  of  things 
which  has  been  accomplished  during  the  unhappiness  of 
the  Holy  See  and  of  the  Church,  these  dispositions  have 
been  treated  with  impunity,  notwithstanding  their  justness, 
wholesomeness,  and  indispensability ;  and  the  meetings  and 
assemblies  interdicted  by  them  have  had  all  sorts  of  fa- 
cilities of  communication,  not  only  at  Rome,  but  also  in  all 
parts  of  the  pontifical  states. 

His  Holiness,  Pope  Pius  VII,  wishing  to  administer  a 
prompt  and  efficacious  remedy  to  an  evil  which  it  is  neces- 
sary to  extirpate  immediately,  and  opposing  himself  to 
the  spread  of  this  pernicious  cancer  ere  it  takes  root 
throughout  the  state,  does  enjoin  and  ordain,  and  by  this 
present  edict  makes  known,  to  all  his  supreme  wish,  which 
should  have  the  force  of  law,  and  should  so  serve  in  the 
tribunals  of  justice  both  civil  and  spiritual,  in  all  coun- 
tries, cities,  lands,  and  provinces  which  appertain  or  n 
any  wise  recognize  allegiance  to  the  temporal  dominion 
of  the  Holy  Apostolic  See. 

By  these  dispositions  it  is  intended  to  say  that,  for  those 
who  regard  the  pains  and  penalties  to  be  incurred  by  these 
unhappy  persons  who,  during  the  lapse  of  time  which  they 
have  had  wherein  to  have  allowed  their  tendency  to  favor 
these  assemblies  to  subside,  (Q-od  forbid  that  this  be  not  a 


EDICT   OF    POPE    PIUS    VII.  343 

question  with  our  well-beloved  subjects,)  or  at  tne  present 
or  in  the  future  shall  have  the  unhappiness  to  become,  in 
any  manner,  a  party  to  or  connected  with  the  Masonic  or 
other  similar  assemblies,  His  Holiness  relinquishes  them 
entirely  and  without  exception  to  the  penalties  and  dispo- 
sitions pronounced  by  the  aforesaid  decrees  of  his  prede- 
cessors of  glorious  memory;  hereby  recalling  and  maintain- 
ing the  same  in  their  fullest  force  and  tenor,  as  his  special 
care. 

The  Holy  Father,  moved  by  the  energetic  sentiments  of 
his  pontifical  zeal,  and  by  the  affections  of  his  paternal 
heart,  warns  all  the  faithful  who  shall  fall  into  this  de- 
plorable error  to  seriously  consider  the  state  of  damnation 
into  which  they  have  plunged  their  souls,  by  incurring  the 
penalty  of  major  excommunication  with  which  they  are 
afflicted,  as  also  of  being  deprived  of  all  the  advantages  of 
communion  in  the  Church,  and  to  pass  away  in  this  condi- 
tion to  that  awful  tribunal  where  nothing  is  hidden,  and 
before  which  vanish  the  vain  supports  which  they  may 
Jind  to  lean  upon  in  this  world.  That  they  humble  them- 
selves, therefore,  by  a  sincere  repentance,  and  be  taken 
once  more  into  the  arms  of  the  holy  Church,  that  compas- 
*'onate  mother  who  calls  them,  and  who  would  receive 
<heni  tenderly,  to  the  end  that  she  may  reconcile  them 
with  the  Father  of  all  mercy,  whom  they  have  abandoned 
with  ingratitude. 

With  regard  to  the  outside  world  and  the  feelings  which, 
under  these  imperious  circumstances,  should  animate  the 
general  police  of  a  wrell-ordered  state,  His  Holiness  wishes 
also  to  be  understood  as  to  the  measures  of  clemency  which 
may  have  been  adopted  for  those  times  of  disorder  and 
impiety  which  preceded  his  happy  return  to  the  holy  city, 
and  the  promulgation  of  this  edict.  Now  this  detestable 
pest  has  but  to  little  if  any  extent  infected  the  territory 
and  the  subjects  of  the  pontifical  state,  but  many  individ- 
uals have  allowed  themselves  to  be  entrapped  by  circum- 


344  GENERAL    HISTORY   OP   FREEMASONRY 

stances.  The  Holy  Father  deplores  their  unhappy  blind- 
ness, and  would  remove  them  from  its  influence  forever; 
it  is  for  them,  however,  to  render  themselves  worthy,  hy 
a  return  prompt  and  permanent,  at  least  so  far  as  concerns 
their  outward  conduct,  for  which  every  citizen  is  respon- 
sible to  society.  Otherwise,  that  they  hold  themselves  in 
readiness  to  inform  and  not  seek  to  hide  from  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  government  officers,  the  places  wherein  they 
may  be  assembled  at  any  time,  that  the  same  may  be 
watched;  and  that,  to  prevent  the  return  of  similar  offenses, 
the  names  of  the  principal  persons  among  them  should  be 
communicated  to  the  chiefs  of  the  tribunals,  in  order  that, 
in  case  of  relapse,  the  old  offenses  should  be  aggregated 
with  the  new.  Nobody,  then,  at  the  present  or  any  future 
time,  can  allege,  for  a  pretext,  that  he  has  found  no  evL 
in  this  following  of  preparatory  scenes,  sometimes  indif- 
ferent and  sometimes  ridiculous,  but  by  which  is  arti- 
ficial^ held  in  suspense  the  curiosity  of  the  initiate,  the 
better  to  dispose  and  enlist  him  in  mysteries  of  greater 
atrocity.  In  consequence  we  decree,  as  follows,  the  meas- 
ures which  we  believe  necessary  and  just  to  prevent  such 
offenses  in  the  future  : 

1.  In  conformity  with  the  dispositions  of  the  edict  of 
the  14th  January,  1739,  it  is  forbidden,  in  the  first  place, 
to  all  persons,  as  well  in  Rome  as  in  the  other  parts  of  the 
pontifical  domain,  to  continue,  extend,  renew  or  establish 
the  said  assemblies  of  Freemasons,  or  any  similar  society, 
whether  instituted  under  ancient  or  modern  denomina- 
tions, or  under  the  newly-imagined  title  of  Carbonari,  th*, 
latter  of  which  have  exhibited  a  pretended  pontifical  letter 
of  approbation  which  bears  upon  its  face  evidence  of  its 
own  falsity.  It  is  also  forbidden  to  all  persons  to  act  in 
the  capacity  of  clerk  or  scrivener  to  these  societies,  or  to 
assist  in  such  capacity  one  single  time,  from  any  reason  or 
pretext  whatever;  or  to  invite  or  solicit  any  body  within 
the  room  wherein  such  assemblies  may  take  place,  or  to 


EDICT   OF   POPE   PIUS   VJ.  345 

receive  into  his  house,  or  any  other  place,  any  member  of 
such  societies,  or  bail  or  loan  money  to,  or  favor  such  per- 
sons in  any  manner  whatever. 

2.  The  dispositions  of  the  present  edict  bear  also  upon 
those   persons   who   may   transgress   its   requirements,   in 
entering  into  any  relations  direct  or  indirect,  immediate 
or  remote,  with  the  aforesaid  associations  which  are  now 
established,  or  which  may  at  any  future  time  be  established, 
outside  of  the  pontifical  state. 

3.  It  is  forbidden  to  all  persons  to  have  in  possession 
or  under  their  charge  or  care,  within   their  dwelling  or 
elsewhere,  instruments,  weapons,  emblems,  law?,  records, 
patents,  or  any  other  thing  used  by  or  in  any  manner  ap- 
pertaining to  the  societies  aforesaid. 

4.  Whoever  shall  know  of  the  existence  of  such  secret 
and    clandestine   meetings,  or   shall    have    been    engaged 
therein,  either  as  assistant  or  scrivener,  shall  be  held  as  a 
witness  against   such   assembly — for  that  which  concerns 
the  capital  to  the  governor  of  Rome,  and,  for  the  other 
parts  of  the  state,  to  the  commandants  of  provinces  or  to 
the  apostolic  delegates.    Those  who,  in  view  of  the  require- 
ments of  this  article,  shall   be  obliged  to   inform  against 
and  denounce  such   assemblies  may  be  certain  that   they 
shall  be   held  entirely  blameless  and  unknown  to  the  ac- 
cused; that  they  shall  be  free  from  all  penalty  which  they 
would  otherwise  incur  as  accessories  or  accomplices,  and 
that  they  shall  receive,  at  the  expense  of  the  delinquent, 
a  recompense  corresponding  to  the  value  of  the  informa- 
tion   conveyed   by  them  tending  to  convict  the   accused. 
And,  upon  this  subject,  His  Holiness  desires  to  be  fully 
understood  to  announce  and  decide,  that  nothing  improper 
or  dishonorable  can  attach  to  a  revelation  to  the  proper 
authorities  of  that  which  may  prevent  to  the  government 
and  to  the  state  the  consequences  of  a  conspiracy  menac- 
ing good  order  and  religion  itself;  and  that  all  oaths,  in 
opposition  to  this  principle,  become  a  bond  of  iniquity,  in 


o46  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

no  degree  binding,  and  leaving  the  obligated  as  free  as  if 
he  had  never  taken  such  oath  or  obligation. 

5.  The  penalties  to  be  undergone  by  all  who  may  contra- 
vene the  dispositions  of  the  present  edict  shall  be  corporeal 
and  afflictive,  and  even  very  serious,  according  to  the  impor- 
tance or  malignity  of  the  circumstances  attending  the  trans- 
gression ;  and,  in  addition  thereto,  there  shall  attach  partial 
or  entire  confiscation  of  the  property  of  the  condemned,  or  fine, 
to  be  paid  in  money,  of  which  the  judges  and  agents  of  the 
tribunals  shall  receive  a  part,  in  proportion  to  the  extent 
of  their  labors  and  exercise  of  care   in   discovering  and 
establishing  the  guilt  of  the  delinquent,  who  shall  be  con- 
victed according  to  law. 

6.  His  Holiness  especially  orders  and  decrees  that  all 
edifices,  such  as  palaces,  public  and  private  residences,  or 
any  other  description  of  inclosed  building,  wherein  an  as- 
sembly of  any  of  the  societies  aforesaid,  under  whatever 
name,  may  have  taken   place,   shall  be   immediately,  and 
without  any  delay  being  incurred  to  prove  the  offense,  de- 
clared confiscated,  and  put  in    charge  of  the  Government 
treasurer;   and    if  the  fact  of  offense  can  not  be  proved 
satisfactorily,  then  a  fine  maybe  levied  and  collected  from 
the  owner  of  the  property. 

7.  Finally,  it  is  enjoined  upon  all  the  chiefs  of  tribunals, 
as  well  as  all  local  judicial  authorities,  to  use  every  care 
in  the  execution  of   the   dispositions    of  this  edict;   and 
should  they,  upon   any  point,  entertain   doubt   as  to  the 
proper    understanding    of    such    dispositions,    they    shall 
address,  without  delay,  the  Cardinal   Consalvi,  Secretary 
of  State,  who  will  communicate  to  them  the  decision  of 
the  Sovereign  Pontiff. 

Done   at    the   Secretariat   of  State,    this    15th   day  of 
August,  1814 

P.  Card.  PACCA, 

Chamberlain  of  the  Holy  Church, 

and  Assistant  Secretary  of  State. 


MASONIC   LAWS   AND  CHARTERS.  847 


PRIMITIVE 

MASONIC  LAWS  AND  CHARTERS. 


IN  examining  the  basis  of  the  charter  of  York,  the  text 
of  which  follows  these  observations — and  which  charter, 
although  presented  to  the  Masonic  lodges  as  emanating 
from  the  king,  could  not  be  other  than  the  production  of 
the  chiefs  of  the  lodges — we  find  it  imbued  with  the  spirit 
of  the  first  Christian  communities,  whose  members,  having 
separated  themselves  from  those  who  were  animated  by 
totally  different  feelings,  had  surrendered  themselves  to 
such  apostolic  teaching  as  might  present  to  them  the  pure 
doctrines  of  the  new  faith.  The  fraternal  and  uniformly 
equable  principles  of  the  ancient  laws  of  the  Roman  col- 
leges were  very  intimately  known  to  those  who  preached 
the  primitive  doctrine  of  Christ.  The  teachings  of  the 
Hermit  schools,  the  most  prominent  instructors  at  that 
time  in  the  doctrines  of  the  new  faith  in  Britain,  were 
found  by  the  assembly  of  Freemasons  convened  at  York 
so  identical  with  the  principles  professed  by  them  and 
their  predecessors,  for  nearly  five  hundred  years,  that 
they  did  not  believe  it  necessary  to  envelope  such  teach- 
ings in  new  forms,  and  the  more  so  as  already  there  ex- 
isted great  divergence  among  the  various  creeds  of  the 
new  church,  consequent  upon  the  spirit  of  investigation 
which  even  at  that  early  day  had  place.  The  assembly, 
therefore,  adopted,  as  the  basis  of  its  new  constitution,  its 
ancient  humanitarian  principles,  which  were  in  entire 
harmony  with  universal  morality,  and  in  entire  conformity 
with  the  early  Christian  doctrine. 


848  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF    FREEMASONRY. 

The  freedom  from  Roman  Catholic  influence  of  the 
Masonic  lodges  at  this  time  exhibits  itself  in  this  charter 
in  a  very  striking  manner,  in  the  prayer  or  invocation 
which  begins  thus:  "All  powerful  and  eternal  God,  Fa- 
ther and  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth,"  etc.  In  this 
prayer  we  perceive  no  mention  made  of  a  Trinity,  the 
Deity  invoked  being  none  other  than  the  great  Arch- 
itect of  the  Universe,  that  great  first  cause  recognized  by 
the  Noachidean  doctrine,  and  the  belief  in  the  eternal 
existence  of  which  can  readily  be  concurred  in  by  men  of 
every  confession. 

The  third  and  fourth  articles  of  this  constitution  sup- 
pose, in  fact,  and  with  a  degree  of  tolerance  very  humane, 
that  the  true  religion,  inborn  in  the  hearts  and  consciences 
of  all  men,  can  not  fail  to  harmonize  characters  the  most 
diverse,  seeing  that  it  is  to  the  conscience  of  every  man, 
and  to  that  alon«,  that  the  religion  of  justice  strictly  ap- 
peals. The  other  articles  of  this  constitution  or  charter 
are  confined  to  the  consideration  of  the  state  of  art,  and 
to  the  simple  and  dignified  oversight  and  arrangement  of 
Masonic  affairs  proper,  but  always  imbued  with  this  same 
spirit,  embracing  humanity  as  an  entire  whole. 

The  constitution  or  charter  of  York  is  not  only  the 
basis  of  the  British  Masonic  corporations,  from  the  time 
of  its  promulgation  to  the  separation  of  the  lodges  of 
Freemasons  from  the  companionship  of  ordinary  stone 
dressers  and  masons,  (which  virtually  took  place,  as  we 
have  shown,  in  1717,)  and  as  the  different  ordinances, 
published  under  the  reigns  of  different  kings,  relating  to 
the  affairs  of  these  corporations,  distinctly  prove;  but  it 
became  the  model  of  the  Masonic  corporations,  which, 
eubsequent  to  its  promulgation,  were  gradually  organized 
upon  the  continent.  The  ancient  corporations  of  Lom- 
bardy,  of  which  the  principal  branches  were  at  Como  and 
at  Pavia,  and  which  should  have  conserved  the  Ia\vs  as 
they  were  known  to  the  ancient  Roman  colleges,  adopted 


MASONIC   LAWS    AND  CHARTERS.  349 

this  charter  immediately,  as  did  also  those  of  Germany 
and  France;  for  we  find  it  the  basis  of  that  printed  con- 
stitution of  the  Freemasons  of  Strasburg  which  was 
adopted  in  1459,  and  into  which  it  is -copied  in  all  its  ex- 
tent, except  the  opening  prayer,  which,  in  accordance 
with  the  Roman  Catholic  influence  of  that  period,  is 
changed  to  read :  "  In  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of 
the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  the  Worthy  Mother 
Mary,"  etc.  This  influence  was  inevitable ;  for  the  Ger- 
man Masons  at  this  time  were  organized,  and  in  great 
measure  controlled,  by  the  ecclesiastic  architects  of  the 
convents  and  monasteries;  and  it  was  not  until  the  latter 
part  of  the  fifteenth  century  they  obtained  from  the  popes 
the  confirmation  of  the  exclusive  privileges  accorded  at 
the  beginning  to  the  corporations  of  Lombardy.  More 
favored  than  the  latter,  however,  they  were  in  receipt  of 
special  diplomas  which  made  them  free  of  royal  edicts, 
and  conceded  to  them  the  right  of  communicating  directly 
Tvith  the  popes  in  all  matters  connected  with  operations 
of  any  magnitude.  This  clerical  influence,  however,  did 
not  protect  the  clergy  from  complaint,  rendered  in  a  man- 
ner at  once  spirited  and  daring,  against  their  tendency  to 
vice  and  immorality;  and  this  fact  has  come  to  us  in  the 
shape  of  numerous  marks  which  figure  upon  the  religious 
edifices  of  the  period,  sometimes  symbolic,  sometimes  satiric, 
expressive  of  their  criticism  of  the  abuses  of  the  clergy, 
as  contrasted  with  their  own  religious  belief  and  doctrine. 
The  charter  of  York  also  served  as  the  basis  of  that 
constitution  of  modern  Freemasonry  which  was  adopted 
at  London  in  1717,  and  altered  but  in  those  points  neces- 
sary to  make  that  constitution  correspond  with  the  new 
object  of  the  society,  and  the  changes  and  developments 
wrought  by  the  lapse  of  eight  centuries  in  the  condition 
of  British  law,  customs,  and  usages.  This  constitution  of 
the  Grand  Lodge  of  London  has,  in  its  turn,  served  as 
the  model  for  the  constitutions  of  all  the  grand  lodges 


350  GENERAL   HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

which  have  been  formed  since  1717  upon  onr  globe;  and 
it  is  oi\]y  to  be  regretted  that,  among  this  great  number 
of  lodges,  there  should  be  found  so  few  who  have  had  the 
courage  and  the  Masonic  spirit  to  reform  that  part  of  the 
constitution  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  England  which  pro- 
vides for  the  predomination  of  that  body,  and  replace  it 
by  a  form  in  harmony  with  the  fundamental  principles  of 
the  Masonic  institution. 

The  small  number  of  documents  which  the  Masonic 
society  possess  besides  its  charters,  of  which  the  most  an- 
cient have  been  destroyed,  is  easily  accounted  for  by  the 
fact  that  absolute  silence  had  been  imposed  by  oath  upon 
every  member  of  the  society,  solemnly  binding  them  not 
to  communicate  in  any  manner  except  verbally,  and  in 
that  way  only  to  each  other,  any  of  the  secrets  confided 
to  them;  while,  as  an  association,  the  society  imposed 
upon  itself  similar  restrictions.  Its  existence  is  engraved 
upon  the  fronts  of  the  monuments  of  its  art,  in  the  orna- 
ments and  symbols  reproduced  upon  the  stones  which 
have  entered  into  their  construction.  True  Freemasonry 
has  never  had  any  secrets  other  than  those  which  have 
been  connected  with  its  art,  its  humanitarian  doctrines, 
and  its  signs  of  recognition. 

CHARTER  OF  YORK. 

A.  D.  926. 

Fundamental  laics  of  the  fraternity  of  Masons,  based  upon  the 
ancient  writings  concerning  the  laws  and  privileges  of  the  ancient 
corporations  of  Roman  builders,  as  they  were  confirmed  to 
Albanus,  in  the  year  290,  by  the  emperor  Carausius,  at  his  resi- 
dence at  Vervlam  (St.  Albans),  received,  discussed,  and  accepted 
by  the  lodges  of  England,  convoked  for  this  object  in  a  general 
assembly  at  York,  in  the  year  926,  by  prince  Edwin,  son  of  king 


The  omnipotence   of  the   Eternal  God,  of  the   Father 
and  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth,  the  wisdom  of  his  Di- 


MASONIC   LAWS   AND    CHARTERS.  351 

vine  Word,  and  the  cooperation  of  his  Spirit  sent  among 
us,  may  be  with  our  commencement,  and  grant  us  grace 
so  to  govern  ourselves  in  this  life,  as  to  obtain,  his  appro- 
bation now,  and,  after  our  death,  life  eternal.1 

#  #  *  *  #  *  * 

Finally,  peace  is  restored,  and  the  bishop  of  Rome  con- 
verts the  Angles  and  the  Saxons  to  the  Christian  faith, 
among  which  are  found  to  be  many  native  craftsmen  in 
Britain  who  had  been  instructed  by  those  vigilant  old  mas- 
ters who  remained  in  this  country.  Then  they  erected  the 
churches  of  Canterbury  (600)  and  of  Rochester  (602),  and 
they  repaired  the  ancient  houses  of  God.  Subsequently, 
the  king,  Charles  Martel,  sent  masons  from  beyond  the 
sea,  upon  the  demand  of  the  Saxon  kings,  and  it  was  then 
that  architecture  flourished  anew,  under  the  direction  of  the 
ancient  master  masons  of  Britain.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that 
man\'  Roman  editices  should  have  been  devastated  upon 
the  occasion  of  the  incursions  of  the  Danes,  and  that  many 
documents  and  records  of  lodges,  which  in  those  times  were 
held  and  preserved  in  the  convents,  should  have  been  burnt, 
under  like  circumstances.  But  the  pious  king  Athelstan 
(925),  who  has  much  esteem  for  the  art,  and  who  has  es- 
tablished many  superb  editices  since  the  peace  concluded 
with  the  Danes,  has  desired  to  make  up  this  deficiency. 
He  has  ordained  that  the  institution  founded  in  the  time  of 
the  Romans  by  St.  Alban  should  be  reestablished  and  con- 
firmed anew.  It  is  in  this  intention  that  he  has  remitted 

1  After  this  introduction,  or  prayer,  follows  a  long  history,  in  two  parts, 
of  architecture  in  Great  Britain  and  other  countries;  a  historic  abridge- 
ment of  the  art  of  building  from  the  most  ancient  mythical  times  to  that 
of  Athelstan;  and,  after  that,  the  particular  rules  which  served  as  funda- 
mental laws  to  the  Masonic  corporations.  To  convey  an  idea  of  the  man- 
ner in  which  this  history  is  written,  we  submit  its  closing  passages.  Its 
similarity  of  style  to  that  which  is  given  by  Dr.  Anderson,  in  his  "Consti- 
tutions," etc.,  of  1723,  will  doubtless  be  remarked  by  the  reader,  and  con- 
vince him  of  the  truth  of  our  statement,  that  the  charter  of  York  was  the 
model  as  it  was  the  basis  of  these  "  Constitutions,"  etc. 


352  GENERAL    HISTORY   OF    FREEMASONRY. 

to  his  son  Edwin  (member  of  the  association)  an  edict  by 
which  the  Masons  can  have  their  own  government,  and  establish 
all  proper  rides  to  render  their  art  prosperous.  He  has  also 
invited  Masons  from  Gaul,  and  appointed  some  chiefs.  Fi- 
nally, he  has  examined  the  Greek,  Roman,  and  Gallic 
institutions  which  these  last  have  brought  in  writing  with 
them,  and  compared  them  with  those  of  St.  Alban,  and  it 
is  after  such  that  all  the  Masonic  corporations  ought  to  be 
organized. 

Behold,  then,  in  the  pious  prince  Edwin,  your  protector, 
who  will  execute  the  orders  of  the  king,  and  who  would 
encourage  and  exhort  you  no  more  to  fall  into  past  faults. 

Thus,  each  year,  the  masters  and  the  chiefs  of  all  the 
lodges  shall  assemble  themselves  together,  and  make  a  re- 
port of  all  the  constructions  and  ameliorations  which  they 
have  produced,  and  such  assembly  shall  be  convoked  here 
at  York,  and  the  chiefs  shall  proclaim  the  laws  which  are 
to.be  found  in  the  ancient  writings,  and  which  they  have 
found  good,  and  useful  to  observe.  The  following  are  the 
obligations  which  you  are  to  accept,  and  which,  when  you 
shall  have  accepted,  you  must  promise  to  observe  by  placing 
your  hand  upon  -the  holy  book  of  the  Gospel,  which  the 
chief  shall  present  to  you.  Each  master,  also,  must  cause 
the  same  to  be  read  in  his  lodge,  and  he  must  likewise 
cause  the  same  to  be  read  at  the  reception  of  a  new  brother, 
as  he  must  require  him,  upon  the  authority  of  the  Gospel, 
to  observe  the  same. 

FUNDAMENTAL  LAWS  OF  THE  BROTHER  MASONS. 

Article  I» 

Your  first  duty  is  that  you  reverence  God  with  sincerity, 
and  submit  to  the  laws  of  the  Noachides,  because  these 
are  the  divine  laws  to  which  all  the  world  should  submit. 
For  this  reason  you  should  also  avoid  following  false  doc- 
trine and  offending  against  God. 


MASONIC  LAWS  AND  CHARTERS.  353 

Article  II. 

You  should  be  faithful  to  your  king,  without  treason, 
and  obedient  to  constituted  authority,  without  deception, 
wherever  you  may  find  yourself,  to  the  end  that  high  trea- 
son should  be  unknown  to  you;  but  if  you  should  be  ap- 
prised of  it,  you  must  immediately  inform  the  king. 

Article  III. 

You  should  be  serviceable  to  all  men,  and  a  faithful 
friend,  to  the  extent  of  your  ability,  without  disquieting 
yourself  as  to  what  religion  or  opinion  they  shall  hold  or 
belong  to. 

Article  IV. 

You  should  be,  above  all,  faithful  among  yourselves,  in- 
structing each  other  and  aiding  each  other,  not  calumniating 
one  another,  but  doing  to  each  other  as  you  would  have 
done  to  yourself;  so  that,  according  as  a  brother  shall 
have  failed  in  his  engagement  with  his  fellow,  you  ought 
to  help  him  to  repair  his  fault,  in  order  that  he  ma.y  reform. 

Article   V. 

You  should  assist  assiduously  at  the  discussions  and  la- 
bors of  your  brethren  in  the  lodge,  and  keep  the  secret  of 
the  signs  from  all  who  are  not  brethren. 

Article  VI. 

Each  should  guard  himself  against  infidelity,  seeing  that 
without  fidelity  and  probity  the  fraternity  can  not  exist,  and 
a  good  reputation  is  a  valuable  property.  Also  constantly 
hold  to  the  interests  of  the  master  whom  you  may  serve, 
and  honestly  finish  your  labor. 

Article  VII. 

You  should  always  pay  honorably  that  which  you  owe, 
and,  in  general,  do  nothing  that  will  injure  the  good  repu- 
tation of  the  Fraternity. 
23 


354  GENERAL   HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

Article    VIII. 

Furthermore,  no  master  ought  to  undertake  a  work  which 
he  may  be  unable  to  perform,  for,  by  doing  so,  he  puts  his 
fellows  to  shame.  Masters,  however,  ought  to  demand 
that  a  sufficient  salary  be  paid  them,  so  that  they  can  live 
and  pay  their  fellow-workmen. 

Article  IX. 

Furthermore,  no  master  ought  to  supplant  another,  but 
leave  him  to  finish  the  work  that  he  has  found  to  do ;  at 
least  to  the  extent  of  his  ability. 

Article  X. 

Furthermore,  no  master  ought  to  accept  an  apprentice 
for  less  than  seven  years,  and  not  until  after  the  expiration 
of  that  time  ought  he  to  be  made  a  Mason,  after  the  advice 
and  consent  of  his  fellows. 

Article  XL 

Furthermore,  no  master  or  fellow-craftsman  should  ac 
cept  indemnity  for  admitting  any  person  as  a  Mason  if  he 
be  not  free-born,  of  good  reputation,  of  good  capacity,  and 
sound  of  limbs. 

Article  XII. 

Furthermore,  no  fellow-craftsman  ought  to  blame  another 
if  he  does  not  know  better  than  him  whom  he  may  repri- 
mand. 

Article  XIII. 

Furthermore,  each  master,  when  he  is  reprimanded  by 
the  architect  (chief  of  the  -lodge),  or  each  fellow-craftsman, 
when  he  is  reprimanded  by  the  master,  should  listen  re- 
spectfully, correct  his  work,  and  conform  to  instructions. 

Article  XIV. 
Furthermore,  all   Masons  should  be  obedient  to  their 


MASONIC   LAWS    AND   CHARTERS.  355 

chiefs,  and  execute  with  good  will  that  which  may  be 

ordered. 

Article  XV. 

Furthermore,  all  Masons  should  receive  their  fellows 
coming  from  abroad,  and  who  will  give  the  signs;  but  they 
ought  to  be  careful,  and  as  they  have  been  taught.  They 
also  o.ight  to  come  to  the  relief  of  brethren  who  may  need 
assistance,  as  soon  as  they  shall  learn,  in  manner  as  they 
have  been  taught,  that  such  assistance  is  necessary,  and  the 
distance  be  within  half  a  league. 

Article  XVI. 

Furthermore,  no  master  or  fellow-craftsman  shall  admit 
into  a  lodge  another  who  has  not  been  received  a  Mason, 
to  learn  the  art  of  dressing  stones,  or  allow  him  to  dress; 
neither  shall  he  show  him  how  to  use  square  or  compass. 

These  are  the  duties  which  he  well  and  truly  ought  to 
observe.  Those  which  shall  yet  be  found  good  and  useful 
in  the  future  ought  always  to  be  written  and  published  by 
the  chiefs  of  the  lodges;  for  all  the  brothers  to  learn  the 
same,  and  to  be  sworn  to  their  performance. 


SUMMARY 


ANCIENT   MASONIC    CHARTERS. 


ROMAN  CHARTER,  715  B.  C. 

Containing  the  laws  relating  to  and  governing  the  Col- 
leges of  Builders,  founded  by  Numa  Pompilius.  These 
laws  are  to  be  found  on  the  8th  of  the  Twelve  Tables  of 
the  Roman  Laws,  created  in  the  year  451  B.  C. 


356  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF    FREEMASONRY. 

CHARTER  OF  ST.  ALBAN,  A.  D.  290. 

Based  upon  the  ancient  laws  of  the  Roman  colleges,  as 
collected  by  Albanus,  an  architect,  and  sanctioned  by  the 
emperor  Carausius. 


CHARTER  OF  YORK,  A.  D.  926.1 

The  original  of  this  charter,  preserved  during  many 
centuries  in  the  archives  of  the  grand  lodge  at  York,  was 
probably  destroyed  during  the  wars  of  the  lioses,  of  which 
York  was  the  theater.  Its  contents  have  come  to  us 
through  the  constitution  of  Edward  III,  which  is  simply  a 
copy  of  it,  with  some  additional  articles  concerning  the 
rights  and  privileges  of  the  grand  masters,  and  their  duties 
in  connection  with  the  government  of  the  country.  Au- 
thentic copies  of  this  charter  were  to  be  found  in  the 
beginning  of  the  18th  century,  in  the  lodges  of  London  and 
York,  and  one  of  them  served  the  grand  master,  George 
Paine,  as  the  basis  of  that  collection  which  he  had  been 
charged  to  present  to  the  new  grand  lodge,  and  which 
collection,  as  subsequently  arranged  and  compiled  by  Dr. 
Anderson,  was  printed  in  1723.  In  1720,  it  is  believed, 
members  of  the  lodge  of  St.  Paul,  alarmed  at  the  publicity 
that  promised  to  be  made  of  papers  which  they  believed 
very  private,  burnt  many  documents,  and,  among  the  num- 
ber, such  copies  of  the  charter  of  Edward  III  as  they  could 
discover. 


CHARTER  OF  EDWARD  III,  A.  JD.  1350. 
Fundamental  laws  of  the  charter  of  York  revised,  with 
some  slight  changes,  and  the  addition  of  some  articles  con- 
cerning the  rights  of  grand  masters,  and  the  emoluments 
appertaining  to  their  office. 

1  See  preceding  article. 


MASONIC    LAWS    AND    CHARTERS.  357 

CHARTER  OF  SCOTLAND,  A.  D.  1439. 

This  document,  which  is  rather  a  diploma  than  a  charter 
proper,  recounts  the  privileges  and  the  duties  which  attach 
to  the  position  of  grand  master,  that  James  II  conceded, 
in  1430,  to  William  Sinclair,  barou  of  Roslin,  and  to  his 
heirs — a  position  that  the  lodges  of  Scotland,  through  the 
representatives  whose  signatures  it  bears,  recognize,  under 
the  terms  of  this  instrument,  to  attach  to  the  said  Sinclair 
and  his  descendants.  This  document,  as  contained  in  a 
manuscript  of  the  year  1700,  may  be  seen  in  the  Advocates' 
Library  at  Edinburgh. 

THE  CHARTERS  OF  STRASBURG,  OF  1459  AND  1563. 
These  are  entitled  "  Statutes  and  Rules  of  the  Fraternity 
of  Stone  Cutters,  founded  upon  those  of  the  year  1275, 
revised,  and  their  publication  ordered  by  the  Masonic 
Congress  of  Ratisbonne  in  1464,  and  by  that  of  Basle  in 
1563."  The  charter  of  York  formed  the  basis  of  these 
charters.  Many  lodges  in  Germany  are  in  possession  of 
copies  of  the  1464  edition. 


CHARTER  OF  COLOGNE,  A.  D.  1535. 

Laws  and  Doctrines  of  Philosophic  Freemasonry,  or  a 
profession  of  their  principles,  rendered  by  a  number  of  Ma- 
sons assembled  at  Cologne  in  the  year  1535.  The  Grand 
Lodge  of  Holland,  at  the  Hague,  is  in  possession  of  the 
original  of  this  charter.  It  is  upon  parchment,  written  in 
Masonic  characters  rendered  into  the  Latin  of  the  middle 
ages.  The  authenticity  of  this  document  is  disputed.  Ex 
perts  in  the  examination  of  ancient  documents  are  divided, 
some  believing  it  an  original,  and  others  a  spurious  pro- 
duction, written  at  a  much  later  date  than  that  which  it 
bears.  [See  pp.  51  and  127  for  further  details  as  to  this 
charter.] 


358  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

CHARTER  OF  SCOTLAND,  A.  D.  1630. 

This  charter  contains  nothing  beyond  the  confirmation 
of  the  privileges,  etc.,  enumerated  in  that  of  1439,  granted 
to  William  Sinclair,  baron  of  Roslin,  by  the  lodges  of  Boot- 
land.  This  confirmation  was  rendered  necessary  in  conse- 
quence of  the  document  of  1439  having  been  destroyed  by 
fire  in  the  conflagration  of  Roslin  Castle,  and  the  privileges 
acceded  thereby  having  been  subsequently  denied  to  the 
heirs  of  "  St.  Clair  of  Roslin."  The  original  of  this  charter 
or  diploma  is  to  be  found. in  the  Law  Library  at  Edinburgh, 
with  the  copy  of  that  which  was  burned. 


CHARTER  OF  LONDON,  A.  D.  1717. 

This  charter,  the  basis  of  modern  Freemasonry,  is  con- 
tained, as  revised  by  George  Paine,  in  1717,  from  the  charter 
of  Edward  III,  in  the  work  first  published  by  order  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  England  in  1723,  and  which  is  generally 
known  as  Anderson's  "  Constitutions,"  etc. 


ANCIENT  WORSHIPS  AND  MYSTERIES.  359 


EPITOME 

OF  THE 

WORSHIPS  AND  THE  MYSTERIES1  OF  THE  ANCIENT 
EASTERN  WORLD. 


"The    wise    man    brings   all   to    the    tribunal    of    reason — even    reason 
itself."— Kant. 


INTEODUCTION. 

FROM  amidst  the  thick  darkness  which  covers  their 
nature,  we  propose  to  deduce  the  origin  and  the  history 
of  the  opinions  which  have  been  taught  us  by  the  instruct- 
ors of  the  peoples,  and  which,  imposed  by  the  force  of 
authority-inculcated  by  education  and  example-have  been 
perpetuated  from  age  to  age,  and  their  empire  established 
by  habit  and  inattention.  But  when  man,  enlightened  by 
reflection  and  experience,  turns  to  a  close  examination  of 
these  prejudices  of  his  infancy,  he  immediately  finds,  a 
crowd  of  disparities  and  contradictions  which  challenge 
his  sagacity  and  provoke  his  reason. 

Remarking  the  diversity  and  opposition  of  the  beliefs 
which  distinguish  different  peoples,  he  naturally  doubts 
that  infallibility  each  of  them  arrogate  to  themselves; 
and,  falling  back  upon  his  own  sense  and  reason,  which 
must  have  emanated  immediately  from  God,  he  conceives 
that  the  result  of  such  a  combination,  when  brought  to 
bear  upon  this,  as  upon  all  other  subjects,  can  not  be  a 
law  less  holy  or  a  guide  less  certain  than" the  mediatorial 
codes  and  contradictions  of  priests  and  prophets.  For, 

1  See  Notes,  I  to  38,  illustrative  of  this  text,  eommenciug  at  page  384. 


3GO  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

when  he  examines  the  fabric  of  these  codes,  he  perceives 
that  these  laws,  pretended  to  be  divine — that  is  to  say,  im- 
mutable and  eternal — are  but  begotten  by  circumstances 
of  time,  of  place,  and  of  person ;  and  that  they  are  de- 
rived from  each  other  in  a  special  order  of  genealogy, 
since  that  there  is  imprinted  upon  their  derivation  a  re- 
Bemblance  of  ideas  modified  by  the  taste  of  each  people 
to  more  fully  satisfy  its  own  intelligence. 

If  we  mount  to  the  source  of  these  ideas,  we  find  they 
are  lost  in  the  night  of  time,  in  the  very  infancy  of  the 
human  race,  and  that  to  reach  them  we  must  approach 
almost  the  origin  of  the  world  itself;  and  there,  in  the 
obscurity  of  chaos  and  the  fabulous  empire  of  tradition, 
they  are  presented  to  us,  accompanied  by  a  condition  of 
things  so  superhuman  that  they  interdict  all  approach  to 
judgment  or  reason.  But  even  this  very  superhuman 
condition  resuscitates  a  train  of  reasoning  which  resolves 
the  difficulty ;  for,  if  the  prodigious  existences  which  are 
presented  to  us  in  the  theological  systems  of  the  world 
have  really  existed— -if,  for  example,  the  metamorphoses, 
the  apparitions,  the  conversations  held  by  one  or  by  sev- 
eral gods  with  man,  traced  in  the  sacred  books  of  the 
Hindoos,  the  Persians,  and  the  Hebrews,  are  historical 
events — it  necessarily  follows  that  the  nature  of  these  gods 
of  the  two  former,  or  the  one  god  of  the  latter,  at  that 
time  differed  entirely  from  that  which  now  exists;  that 
the  men  of  our  day  have  nothing  in  common  with  those 
of  that  period ;  and  that  such  men  as  then  existed  exist 
no  longer,  nor  have  they  existed  for  ages  of  time.  If,  on 
the  contrary,  these  prodigious  occurrences  and  existences 
have  not  really  had  place  in  physical  order,  we  will  nat- 
urally believe  that  they  existed  only  in  and  were  the  crea- 
tions of  the  imagination  of  those  who  penned  them ;  and 
our  own  natures,  capable  as  they  are  to-day  of  executing 
fantastic  compositions,  immediately  recognize  a  reason  for 
such  monstrosities  to  appear  in  a  history  of  the  world. 


ANCIENT   WORSHIPS    AND    MYSTERIES.  361 

No  longer,  then,  does  the  student  agitate  himself  with 
efforts  to  explain  the  why  and  the  wherefore  of  the  sub- 
jects of  these  pictures,  or  in  analyzing  the  ideas  they 
combine  and  associate;  but,  putting  together  all  the  cir- 
cumstances that  they  allege,  he  thinks  he  ought  to  dis- 
cover a  solution  conformable  to  the  laws  of  nature.  Yet 
he  does  not  arrive  at  such  a  solution.  He  perceives  that 
these  recitals  of  a  fabulous  character  have  a  figurative 
sense  other  than  the  sense  apparent;  that  these  pretended 
marvels  are  physical  facts,  simple  as  the  elements  of  na- 
ture, but  which,  ill  conceived  and  badly  painted,  have 
been  denaturalized  by  accidental  causes  independent  of 
the  human  spirit:  by  the  confusion  of  the  signs  which 
were  employed  to  represent  the  objects,  by  the  equivo- 
cality of  the  words  which  described  them,  the  degeneracy 
of  language,  and  the  imperfection  of  writing.  lie  finds 
that  these  gods,  for  example,  who  play  such  singular 
parts  in  all  the  theological  systems  of  the  eastern  world, 
are  no  other  than  the  physical  powers  and  play  of  the 
elements  of  nature,  which,  by  the  necessary  mechanism 
of  language,  have  been  personified;  that  their  lives,  their 
manners,  and  their  actions  are  nothing  but  the  play  of 
their  operations,  and  that  all  their  pretended  history  is 
nothing  but  the  description  of  their  phenomena,  traced 
by  such  of  their  first  observers  as  were  competent  to  do 
so,  and  these  descriptions  taken  in  a  literal  sense  by  the 
ignorant  and  vulgar  who  understood  not  the  spiritual  or 
real  sense,  and  which  sense,  in  consequence,  was  by  sub- 
sequent generations  forgotten  and  lost;  in  fine,  he  will 
observe  that  all  the  theological  dogmas  about  the  origin 
of  the  world,  the  nature  of  God,  the  revelation  of  his 
laws,  the  apparition  of  his  person,  are  nothing  but  the 
recitals  of  astronomical  facts— nothing  but  figurative  nar- 
ratives of  the  movements  of  the  solar  system.  It  is  by 
such  a  course  of  reasoning  that  one  becomes  convinced 
that  the  idea  of  the  Divinity,  which  even  at  present  is 


362  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

with  us  so  obscure,  was  not,  in  its  primitive  state,  but 
that  of  the  physical  powers  of  the  universe,  considered 
sometimes  as  multiples,  by  reason  of  their  agents  and 
their  phenomena,  and  sometimes  as  a  single  being,  by  the 
complete  connection  of  all  their  parts;  in  short,  that  the 
being  called  God  has  been  sometimes  the  sun,  sometimes 
the  stars,  the  planets  and  their  influences ;  sometimes  the 
matter  *  of  the  visible  world — the  universe  as  a  whole ; 
sometimes  the  abstract  and  metaphysical  qualities  of  the 
universe,  such  as  time,  space,  movement,  and  intelligence; 
and  always  with  this  result,  that  the  idea  of  the  Divinity 
has  not  been  a  miraculous  revelation  of  invisible  beings, 
but  a  natural  production  of  the  reasoning  faculty,  an 
operation  of  the  human  spirit,  in  which  it  has  followed 
the  progress  and  been  influenced  by  the  revolutions  which 
have  taken  place  in  our  knowledge  of  the  physical  world 
and  of  its  agents. 

Thus,  then,  the  ideas  of  God  and  religion — ideas  which 
absorb  all  others — have  their  origin  in  physical  objects, 
and  have  been,  in  the  mind  of  man,  the  product  of  his 
sensations,  his  cares,  the  circumstances  of  his  life,  and  the 
progressive  state  of  his  knowledge. 

Now,  as  the  ideas  of  a  Divinity  had  for  their  earliest 
models  physical  beings,  it  resulted  that  the  Divinity  was 
at  first  varied  and  multiplinary,  as  were  the  forms  under 
which  he  appeared  to  act.  Each  being  was  a  power,  a 
genius;  and  in  the  eyes  of  the  first  men  the  universe  was 
filled  with  innumerable  gods.  Then,  as  the  affections  of 
the  human  heart  and  its  passions  became  enlisted,  there 
was  superinduced  an  order  of  division  of  these  gods,  based 
upon  pleasure  and  pain,  love  and  hate :  the  natural  pow- 
ers, the  gods,  or  geni,  were  separated  into  benefactors  and 
malefactors — workers  of  good  and  workers  of  evil ;  and 
hence  the  uniformity  with  which  these  opposite  charac- 
ters appear  in  all  systems  of  religion. 


ANCIENT    WORSHIPS   ANP   MYSTERIES.  363 


SABEISM,  OE  SUN  WOKSHIP,  AKD  ITS  LEGENDS. 

And  first,  among  these  systems  may  be  found  Sabcism, 
or  the  worship  of  the  Sun. 

From  what  has  been  already  stated,  it  necessarily  re- 
sulted that  the  theologies2  of  all  the  peoples,  after  those 
of  the  Hindoos  and  the  Persians,  down  to  those  of  the 
Egyptians  and  the  Greeks,  as  we  find  them  in  their  sacred 
books3 — their  cosmogonies4 — were  nothing  but  a  system 
of  physics — a  tabular  arrangement  of  the  operations  of 
nature,  enveloped  in  mysterious  allegories  and  enigmatic 
symbols.5  Thus  we  find  the  worship  of  the  Sun  to  be 
the  primordial  basis  of  all  the  worships  and  mysteries  of 
antiquity.  The  Sun  is,  in  fact,  to  every  living  thing  upon 
the  earth,  the  most  attractive  and  interesting  of  all  the 
heavenly  bodies.  He  constantly  directs  our  attention  and 
attracts  our  admiration  to  the  magnificence  of  the  solar 
system.  As  the  innate  fire  of  the  body,  the  fire  of  nature, 
author  of  light,  heat,  and  ignition,  he  is  the  efficient 
cause  of  all  generation  ;  for  without  him  there  can  be  no 
movement,  no  existence,  no  formation.  He  is  immense, 
indivisible,  imperishable,  and  ever-existing.  It  is  this 
want  of  light — it  is  his  creative  energy  which  has  been 
felt  by  all  mankind,  who  see  nothing  more  frightful  than 
his  continued  absence.  Thus  he  becomes  their  divinity. 
His  presence  is  the  happy  influence  that  revives  every 
thing,  and  thus  has  he  become  the  basis  of  all  worship, 
whether  ancient  or  modern — then  directly,  now  indi- 
rectly— under  symbolic  forms ;  and  the  Brahma  of  the 
Hindoos,  the  Mithra  of  the  Persians,  the  Osiris  of  the 
Egyptians,  the  Adonai  of  the  Phenicians,  the  Adonis  and 
Apollo  of  the  Greeks  are  but  representatives  of  the  Sun, 
the  principles  of  beauty,  generation,  and  perfection— the 
images  of  that  principle  of  reproduction  which  perpetu- 
ates and  rejuvenates  the  world.  The  Sun  is  likewise  the 
physical  representative  of  that  Supreme  Being  that  the 


364  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF    FREEMASONRi'. 

Hindoos  named  Baghaven,  the  Persians  Zerouam-Akercfie, 

the  Hebrews  Jehovah,  the  Egyptians  Ammon  and  Youpiter, 
the  Greeks  Zeus,  the  Mohammedans  Allah,  and  the  Chris- 
tians Lord  and  God. 

The  legends  upon  which  repose  the  worships  of  the 
ancients,  like  that  of  Hi  ram  among  the  Freemasons,6  are 
founded  upon  the  apparent  progress  of  the  Sun,  which, 
to  speak  figuratively,  having  ceased  to  ascend  when  he 
attains  his  highest  point  in  the  southern  horizon,  begins 
to  descend,  and  finally  is  vanquished  and  put  to  death  by 
darkness,  which  is  represented  in  the  same  language  as 
the  spirit  of  evil;  but,  returning  toward  our  hemisphere, 
he  appears  as  the  revived  conqueror.  This  death  and  thia 
resurrection  thus  prefigure  the  succession  of  day  and 
night — of  that  death  which  is  a  necessity  of  life — of  that 
life  which  is  the  child  of  death — in  fact,  of  the  combat  of 
those  two  principles,  directly  the  antagonists  of  each 
other,  and  which  may7  be  discovered  every-where — in  Ty- 
phon,  in  opposition  to  Osiris,  of  the  Egyptians;  in' Juno, 
in  opposition  to  Hercules,  among  the  Greeks;  in  the 
Titans  against  Jupiter,  in  Ohromaze  against  Ahrimane, 
among  the  Persians;  and  in  Satan,  among  the  Chris- 
tians, against  God7 — do  we  perceive  the  types  of  evil  as 
opposed  to  good  exhibited  among  the  peoples  of  every 
clime  and  worship,  whether  they  be  more  or  less  advanced 
in  the  scale  of  civilization.. 


THE   MYSTERIES    OF   INDIA. 
Bhuddist   Priests,  Brahmins,  or   Gymno sophists. 

It  is  in  India,  the  cradle  of  the  human  race,  that  the 
historj'  of  the  world  began ;  to  that  vast  and  fruitful 
country  are  we  indebted  for  the  first  families  of  man  ;  for 
no  other  portion  of  the  world  offered  to  him  a  dwelling- 


ANCIENT   WORSHIPS   AND    MYSTERIES.  365 

place  so  rich  and  so  delicious.  In  these  regions,  the  most 
elevated  of  the  globe,  may  be  found  vegetation  the  most 
luxuriant,  and  the  products  of  the  soil  the  most  useful 
and  varied.  All  science,  then,  as  well  as  all  history,  indi- 
cate the  fact  that  it  was  in  the  highest  lands  of  India  man 
first  appeared  upon  our  earth. 

The  Hindoos  adored  in  Bhagavan,  the  eternal  being 
who,  in  his  own  person,  fills  all  worlds,  comprises  all  the 
forms  and  all  the  principles  of  living  creatures,  and  who 
acted  through  Brahma,  Vishnu,  and  Shiva  the  triple  man- 
ifestation of  himself.  Menou,  a  Hindoo  legislator,  is  the 
founder  of  the  doctrine  of  the  three  principles  or  gods; 
the  first  of  whom,  named  Brahma,  being  the  creator  (the 
sun  of  spring-time);  the  second,  named  Shiva,  being  the 
destroyer  (sun  of  winter);  and  the  third,  named  Vishnu, 
being  the  preserver  (the  sun  of  autumn,  middle,  or  ripen- 
ing sun) ;  all  three  powers  being  distinct,  but  forming  the 
representatives  of  an  only  god  or  power. 

The  doctrines  of  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  of  future 
rewards  and  punishments,  and  transmigration  of  souls 
after  death,  composed  the  secret  teachings  of  the  priests ; 
and  it  was  from  them  that  the  neighboring  peoples  bor- 
rowed these  doctrines  and  the  idea  of  an  only  all-powerful 
and  eternal  God.  After  Menou,  the  most  anicent  re- 
former of  the  religion  of  the  Hindoos  (sun  worship)  whose 
name  has  been  transmitted  to  us,  came  Bhudda-Shauca- 
sam,  who  announced  himself  as  the  mediator  and  expiator 
of  the  crimes  of  man  (3600  B.  C.),  to  whom  succeeded, 
about  1000  years  apart,  three  others  of  the  like  name, 
and  of  whom  Bhudda-Guatama  was  the  most  celebrated 
(557  B.  C.)  These  four  moral  reformers  differently  modi- 
fied the  principles  of  Menou,  and  deduced  therefrom 
some  mystic  doctrines.  Men  of  rare  genius,  without 
doubt,  these  four  reformers  were  regarded  by  the  Hindoos 
as  incarnations  cf  the  Supreme  intelligence,  and,  in  this 
quality,  divine.  Following  this  example,  the  other  nations 


366         GENERAL  HISTORY  OF  FREEMASONRY. 

elevated  their  great  citizens  and  reformers  to  the  rank 
of  gods. 

In  India,  as  subsequently  in  Persia,  Ethiopia,  and  Egypt, 
the  priests  were  the  sole  depositaries  of  scripture  knowl- 
edge, and  exercised  power  without  bounds ;  for  every 
thing  was  founded  upon  religion.  The  great  monuments 
of  India8  are  immeasurably  ancient.  The  immense  grot- 
toes, believed  to  be  the  most  ancient  Hindoo  temples,  the 
caverns  of  Elephanta,  of  Elora,  of  Salcette  and  of  Carli, 
the  temple  of  Kailaca — a  most  prodigious  monument,  cut 
in  the  bosom  of  a  rock  mountain,  an  open  and  roofless 
pantheon  of  Indian  divinities — presuppose  in  the  people 
who  have  produced  them  a  knowledge  of  art  and  a  degree 
of  civilization  far  in  advance  of  that  of  the  Egyptians,  as 
evinced  in  their  works,  and  exhibit  the  magnificence  of  a 
highly  enlightened  people.  All  that  mind  could  invent 
and  heart  appreciate  of  the  grand  and -the  beautiful,  the 
noble  and  the  elevated  in  conception,  the  elegant  in  design, 
and  the  perfect  in  execution,  are  found  united  in  these 
groups  of  sanctuaries.  These  works  recall  far  distant 
periods,  going  back  to  the  night  of  time,  and  since  which 
immense  intellectual  development  has  wrought  a  gradual 
change  in  the  history  of  the  Hindoo  people.  The  bas-reliefs 
the  figures,  and  the  thousands  of  columns  which  ornament 
those  Hindoo  temples,  scooped  out  and  graven  in  the  solid 
rock,  indicate  at  least  three  thousand  years  of  consecutive 
labor,  and  their  present  appearance  indicates  the  lapse  of 
a  like  number  of  years  since  they  were  finished. . 

The  doctrine  of  Bhudda,9  or  Brahma,  passed  into  Asia 
Minor  and  became  the  basis  of  the  Persian  worship,  and 
subsequently  that  of  the  Ethiopian.  Bhuddism  penetrated 
into  China;  in  that  country  Bhudda  was  called  Fot  (Boodj, 
and  his  priests  bonzes.  His  worship  spread  over  all  Thibet, 
where  it  was  known  as  Lamaism,  from  the  title  of  Dalai- 
Lama  given  to  the  supreme  pontiff  of  the  worship,  who 
resided  at  Lahsa.  The  higher  classes  of  the  Chinese  have 


ANCIENT    WORSHIPS    AND    MYSTERIES.  387 

generally  adopted  the  doctrine  of  Confucius  (Kong-Tseu), 
the  reformer  of  the  degenerate  Bhuddisrn,  or  Lamaism, 
which,  in  our  day,  fills  a  part  of  China  and  Japan  with 
the  most  ridiculous  and  revolting  superstitions. 


MYSTERIES    OF    THE    PERSIANS. 

Worship  of  Fire;  worship   of  the  Magi;  worship  of  Mitkra; 

worship  of  Zoroaster.     (Assyria,  Babylon,  and 

Chaldea.) 

The  ancient  Persians  adored  a  being  unrevealed,  and 
who,  self-consuming,  self-absorbing,  lost  his  individuality 
under  the  name  of  Zerouane-akerene.  The  worship  of 
fire,  among  the  Persians,  preceded  the  worship  of  the 
sun.  Horn,  their  first  prophet,  was  its  founder.  After 
him  came  Djemschid,  who  brought  them  the  Worship 
of  the  Hindoos,  founded  upon  the  three  principles  or 
gods  personified  by  Brahma,  Vishnu,  and  Shiva,  mani- 
fested by  the  principles  of  generation,  preservation,  and 
destruction.  But  the  astrological  doctrine  of  the  magi 
was  developed  by  time,  and  after  they  had  acquired  a  gen- 
eral knowledge  of  the  use  of  the  globes,  they  observed 
vegetable  and  animal  nature  from  a  single  point  of  view. 
Afterward,  perceiving  that  this  nature  was  susceptible  of 
division,  composed,  as  it  was,  of  a  principle  of  life  which 
was  the  presence  of  the  sun,  causing  heat  and  light,  and  a 
principle  of  death,  caused  by  his  absence,  and  consequent 
cold  and  darkness,  they  divided  it.  Then  the  priests,  aban- 
doning the  system  of  the  Hindoos,  and  admiring  nothing 
but  the  principles  of  good  and  bad,  or  the  struggle  between 
light  and  darkness,  life  and  death,  supplied  with  their  im- 
agination a  personification  of  each  of  these  principles. 
The  good  principle  received  the  name  of  Ohromaze  and 


368  GENERAL    HISTORY  OF  FREEMASONRY. 

the  bad  that  of  Ahrimane.  The  priests  of  this  worship, 
called  jnayi™  \vere  celebrated  for  their  mathematical  and 
astrological  knowledge,  which  they  had  imbibed  from  their 
neighbors  the  Hindoos;  all  the  occult  sciences  were  prac- 
ticed by  them,  and  by  the  exercise  of  which  they  attained 
the  name  of  being  possessed  of  supernatural  power,  and, 
indeed,  among  the  people  and  their  kings,  they  were  all- 
powerful.  The  most  ancient  and  the  most  celebrated  of 
their  temples  was  that  consecrated  to  Belus,  god  of  light, 
at  Babylon.-  This  temple,  called  the  Tower  of  Babel.11  was 
erected  by  them,  with  a  great  number  of  other  monuments, 
at  Persepolis,  at  Ecbatane,  and  at  Babylon,12  and  to-day  is 
buried  under  a  vigorous  vegetation  ;  but  their  mausoleums, 
cut  into  the  everlasting  rock,  yet  exist,  to  remind  present 
generations  of  their  science,  their  morals,  and  respect  for 
their  dead. 

A  reformer,  named  Mithra  (2250  B.  C.),  born  in  Midia, 
overthrew  among  the  Medes  the  system  of  the  magi,  and 
founded  a  worship  more  austere.  Deified,  Mithra  was  re- 
garded by  the  Medes  as  the  personification  of  Ohromaze 
and  Ahrimane,  the  divine  duality  of  the  Persians,  and 
consequently  became  himself  the  object  of  a  special  wor- 
ship. The  mysteries  of  this  worship  were  celebrated  in 
subterranean  temples,  as  among  the  ancient  Hindoos,  and 
were  called  "Retreats  of  Mithra."13  The  aspirants  for  the 
privileges  of  these  mysteries  submitted  to  proofs  so  terrible 
that  many  became  insensible.  In  the  initiation  there  were 
seven  d:stinct  degrees.  Mithra,  regarded  as  the  sun-god, 
is  represented  in  Persian  art  under  the  form  of  a  young 
man  with  a  Phrygian  bonnet,  armed  with  a  sword,  which 
he  is  in  the  act  of  plunging  into  the  throat  of  a  bull.14 

Another  religious  legislator,  named  Zoroaster,  (1220  to 
1200  B.  C.)  who  came  after  Mithra,  renewed  his  worship. 
Zoroaster15  having  found  it  necessary  to  quit  his  country, 
then  subjugated,  retired  with  some  disciples  into  a  cavern 
of  the  neighboring  mountains  in  Persia,  which  he  there- 


ANCIENT    WORSHIPS    AND    MYSTERIES. 

upon  consecrated  to  Mithra  (the  sun),  creator  of  all  tilings. 
Tliis  retreat  he  partitioned  into  geometrical  divisions,  which 
represented  the  climates,  the  elements,  the  plants,  and,  in 
fact,  imitated  the  universe.  There  he  studied,  with  his 
disciples,  the  movements  of  the  heavenly  hodies  and  the 
mechanism  of  the  world.  His  theology  was  that  of  the 
Hindoos — the  study  of  nature  and  its  original  contriver 
in  the  movements  of  the  celestial  and  terrostrial  bodies. 

Zoroaster,  after  having  passed  twenty  years  in  this  re- 
treat, returned  to  his  country,  and  began  to  promulgate  his 
doctrine  at  Bactria,  the  capital  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Bac- 
trians.  There  he  became  their  prophet,  and  the  grand 
master  of  the  priest  magicians,  who  were  then  more  power- 
ful than  ever.  He  reassembled  the  remains  of  the  ancient 
laws  of  the  magi,  which  dated  back  to  the  highest  anti- 
quity, and  formed  with  his  own  theology  a  new  body  of 
doctrines,  contained  in  the  Zendavesta,16  of  which  he  is  the 
author,  and  which  became  the  religious  code  of  the  Medes 
and  the  Bactrians,  and,  subsequently,  that  of  the  Persians, 
Chaldeans,  and  Parthians. 

The  great  institutions  of  the  primitive  races — those 
learned  corporations  in  which  they  took  so  much  pride — 
have  disappeared ;  and  we  are  pained  to  recognize,  in  the 
unhappy  Parsees  of  to-day,  disgraced  and  persecuted,  the 
scattered  remains  of  an  ancient  enlightened  people,  and 
the  last  inheritors  of  much  that  was  glorious.  Neverthe- 
less, by  the  practice  of  some  simple  symbolic  ceremonies, 
to  which  the  Parsees  themselves  are  no  less  attached  than 
their  opponents  are  zealous  to  proscribe,  we  are  assured 
that  they  are  the  successors  of  the  ancient  Mithraiques. 
Their  meetings — imitations  of  those  of  the  retreat  of 

O 

Mithra — have  caused  them  to  be  accused,  according  to 
modern  custom,  of  the  most  atrocious  crimes,  and  to  re- 
ceive the  epithet  of  Guebers — a  term  that,  from  all  time, 
designates  that  moral  turpitude  attributed  by  the  igno- 
rant to  the  members  of  all  secret  societies. 
24 


370  GENERAL   HISTORY   OP   fREEMASONRY. 


MYSTERIES  OF  ISIS  AND  OSIRIS. 

Ethicpia  and  Egypt. 

The  worship  of  the  ancient  Ethiopians  and  Egyptians 
,s  a  sort  of  pantheism,  in  which  all  the  forces  of  nature  are 
personified  and  deified.  Superior  to  all  the  gods,  however, 
is  placed  a  God  eternal  and  infinite,  who  is  the  source  of 
all  things. 

The  most  ancient  trinity  of  the  Ethiopians  and  the  people 
of  that  part  of  Abyssinia  adjoining  Arabia,  the  blest,  and 
of  Chaldea,  was  Cneph-Ammon  (Youpiter),  god  creator,  of 
which  the  emblem  was  a  ram;  Ptha  (Brama-Theos),  god 
of  matter,  primitive  earth,  the  emblem  of  which  was  an 
egg  or  sphere ;  Ncith,  god  of  thought,  the  emblem  of 
which  was  light,  which  germinates  all  things.  Thus  was 
comprised  a  triple  manifestation  of  an  only  God  (lehov), 
considered  under  three  connections,  the  creative  power, 
goodness,  and  wisdom — merely  the  Hindoo  trinity,  with 
other  names. 

The  number  of  super-celestial  gods  augment  by  follow- 
ing those  of  Fta,  the  god  of  lire  and  of  life,  representing 
the  generative  principle ;  of  Pan-Mendes,  the  male  prin- 
ciple, and  Athor,  the  female  principle,  which  are  the  aux- 
iliaries of  Fta,  generator;  of  Frea  or  Osiris,  the  sun;  of 
Pijoh  or  Isis,  the  moon.  But,  besides  these  which  we 
have  mentioned,  they  had  twelve  other  celestial  and  three 
terrestrial  gods.  Of  these  the  celestial  gods  were  called 
respectively  Zeous,  Eempha,  Artes,  Surot.  Pi-IIcrmcs, 
Imuthes,  corresponding  to  the  mythological  Jupiter,  Sat- 
urn, Mars,  Venus,  Mercury,  and  one  other  known  but  to 
the  Ethiopians,  viz. :  Starry  Heavens.  These  were  all  male 
gods;  and  after  them  came  six  females,  viz. :  Rhea,  or  the 
Earth,  the  Moon,  Ether,  Fire,  Air,  and  Water.  Then,  in 
the  third  rank,  were  placed  the  terrestrial  gods,  viz. :  Osiris, 


ANCIENT  WORSHIPS  AND  MYSTERIES.  S71 

genius  of  good,  whose  brother,  Typhon,  was  genius  of  evil ; 
Isis,  the  wife  of  Osiris,  and  Horns,  their  son,  and  genius 
of  labor.  This  trinity  subsequently  became  the  principal 
object  of  the  Egyptian  worship.  Isis,  as  the  generative 
divinity,  was  sister  and  wife  of  Osiris,  the  sun-god,  and 
fig'jivd  as  the  earth,  which  latter,  in  fact,  is  sim^iy 
lendered  productive  by  the  action  of  the  former;  and 
hence  that  worship  which,  at  a  later  day,  merged,  in  the 
eyes  of  other  nations,  into  bestiality,  though  held  very 
sacred  among  the  Egyptians. 

The  gymnosophist  priests  who  came  from  the  banks  of 
the  Euphrates  in  Ethiopia  brought  with  them  their  science 
and  doctrines,  and  cultivated  the  knowledge  of  them  among 
this  people.  They  formed  colleges  known  as  the  colleges 
of  the  priests,  the  principal  one  of  which  was  at  Meroe,  the 
capital  of  Ethiopia,  and  the  mysteries  of  their  worship  were 
celebrated  in  the  temple  of  Amnion  17  (You-piter),  renowned 
for  its  oracle.  Ethiopia,  then  a  powerful  State,18  and  which 
had  preceded  Egypt  in  civilization,19  had  a  theocratic  gov- 
ernment. The  priest  was  more  powerful  than  the  king, 
and  could  put  him  to  death  in  the  name  of  the  divinity. 
The  magnificence  of  the  ruins  of  Axom,  with  its  obelisks, 
hieroglyphics,  temples,  tombs,  and  pyramids  which  sur- 
round ancient  Meroe,  with  a  hundred  other  pyramids  in 
Ethiopia,  are  evidently  of  a  period  prior  to  that  of  the 
eight  pyramids  of  Ghizze,20  near  ancient  Memphis,  and 
which  date  from  the  sixth  to  the  twelfth  centuries  before 
Christ.  It  then  becomes  certain  that  the  Theban  priests 
went  forth  from  the  colleges  of  Ethiopia.  Hermes,21  priest 
king,  the  deified  author  of  the  castes,  and  who,  bound  by 
the  legends  of  Isis  and  Osiris,  taught  to  the  Egyptian  priests 
the  occult  sciences.  The  priests  committed  to  the  only 
books  which  at  this  early  time  were  to  be  found  among 
them  the  sciences  called  to-day  hermetic,  and  to  them 
added  their  own  discoveries  and  the  relations  which  were 
made  to  them  by  their  sybils.22  They  occupied  themselves 


372  GENERAL   HISTORY   OP   FREEMASONRY 

particularly  with  the  more  abstract  sciences,  by  which  they 
discovered  those  famous  geometric  theorems  which  Pytha- 
goras subsequently  obtained  a  knowledge  of  from  them, 
and  by  which  they  calculated  the  eclipses  three  hun- 
dred years  before  Caesar,  and  regulated  the  year  that  we 
call  Julian.  Sometimes  they  would  descend  to  engage  in 
some  practical  researches  upon  the  cares  of  life,  and  read 
to  their  associates  the  fruits  of  their  investigations;  and 
sometimes  they  would,  in  the  cultivation  of  the  tine  arts, 
inspire  the  enthusiasm  of  the  people  who  constructed  the 
avenues  of  Thebes,2"  and  the  Labyrinth,  the  admirable 
temples  of  Karnak,  of  Dendorah,  of  Edfou,  and  of  Philae; 
those  people  who  sat  up  so  many  monolythic  obelisks,  who 
hollowed,  under  the  name  of  lake  Moeris,  an  ocean,  to 
guarantee  fertility  to  the  country;  who  constructed  subter- 
ranean cities,24  the  wonders  of  which  equaled  those  of  any 
sunlit  city;  who,  prodigal  of  their  labor,  and  caring  for 
the  residence  of  the  dead  as  much  as  for  that  of  the  living, 
hid  under  ground  the  colors  of  the  most  beautiful  paintings 
in  the  tombs  of  their  ancestors;  to  this  people,  finally, 
whose  monuments  delight  in  collossal  proportions  only  be- 
cause the  ideas  which  inspired  them  were  grand. 

The  wisdom  of  the  initiates,  the  high  degree  of  morality 
and  science  which  they  taught  excited  the  emulation  of 
the  most  eminent  men,  irrespective  of  rank  or  fortune,  and 
induced  them,  notwithstanding  the  terrible  proofs  to  which 
they  had  to  submit,  to  seek  admission  into  the  mysteries  of 
Isis  and  Osiris. 

The  worship  and  the  mysteries  of  the  Egyptians  at  first 
passing  through  Moses  among  the  Ilebrexvs,  where  the 
primitive  god  of  the  Ethiopians,  Youpiter  or  Jupiter,  re- 
ceived the  name  of  You  ovjehova^  and  Typhon,  the  genius 
of  evil,  was  called  Satan,  and  represented  under  the  form 
of  a  serpent,  passed  subsequently  into  Phenicia,  where  they 
were  celebrated  at  Tyre.2"  There  the  name  of  Osiris  was 
changed  to  Adonai  or  Dyonisius,  which  also  meant  the  sun 


AXCIENT  WORSHIPS   AND   MYSTERIES.  373 

Then  these  mysteries  were  successively  introduced  into 
Assyria,  Babylonia,  Persia,  Greece,  Sicily,  and  Italy.  In 
Greece  and  in  Sicily  Osirus  took  the  name  of  Bacchus,  and 
Isis  that  of  Ceres,  of  Cybele,  of  Khea,  and  of  Venus;  while 
at  Home  she  was  called  the  good  goddess. 


MYSTERIES  OF  THE  HEBREWS. 

This  worship  was  founded  by  Moses,  a  son  of  the  tribe 
of  Levi,  educated  in  Egypt  and  initiated  at  Ileliopolis  into 
the  mysteries  of  Isis  and  Osiris,  of  which  he  became  a 
priest.  Informed  of  his  origin,  he  forsook  the  court  of 
Pharaoh  at  the  age  of  forty  years,  and,  it  is  said,  passed 
the  subsequent  forty  }'ears  of  his  life  in  exile,  after  which 
he  abode  with  the  Hebrews.  Driven  from  Egypt,27  under 
the  reign  of  Amonophis,  because  they  were  infected  with 
the  leprosy,  this  people  elected  Moses  as  their  chief.  He 
became  their  legislator  and  adapted  to  the  ideas  of  his  peo- 
ple the  science  and  philosophy  which  he  had  obtained  in 
the  Egyptian  mysteries;  proofs  of  this  are  to  be  found  in 
the  symbols,  in  the  initiation,  and  in  his  precepts  and  com- 
mandments. Moses  passes  for  the  author  of  the  first  five 
books  of  the  Old  Testament  of  our  Bible,  or  the  Penta- 
teuch.28 The  wonders  which  Moses  narrates  as  having 
taken  place  upon  the  mountain  of  Sinai,  upon  the  occasion 
of  his  reception  of  the  tables  of  the  law,  are,  in  part,  a  dis- 
guised account  of  the  initiation  of  the  Hebrews.  Moses 
formed  with  his  priests  a  separate  caste  or  class,  who  were 
alone  possessed  of  scientitic  knowledge,  and  \vho  stole 
the  knowledge  of  their  sacred  books  from  the  "gentiles:" 
who  forbade  their  own  people  to  enter  their  dwellings, 
and  punished  with  death  the  Levites  who,  being  placed  in 
charge  of  the  sanctuary,  neglected  that  charge  night  or  day, 
as  also  the  timorous  person,  unknown  to  their  order,  who 


874  GENERAL    HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

should  dare  to  approach  the  entrance  to  the  tabernacle. 
Moses  wished  to  separate  the  Hebrew  nation  from  every 
other,  and  to  form  of  it  an  empire  isolated  and  distinct; 
and,  for  this  purpose,  he  conceived  the  design  of  fixing  its 
foundation  upon  the  religious  prejudices  of  his  people,  and 
erecting  around  them  a  sacred  rampart  of  opinions  and 
rites.  But  in  vain  did  he  prescribe  the  worship  of  symbols ; 
the  dogma  of  an  only  God,30  which  he  taught,  was  equally 
the  Egyptian  god,  the  invention  of  the  priests  of  whom  he 
had  been  a  disciple.  In  the  construction  of  the  tabernacle, 
likewise,  Moses  observed  the  manner  of  the  Egyptian 
priests,  and  its  proportions  and  measurements  were  an  imi- 
tation of  their  system  of  the  world.  This  tabernacle  was 
divided  into  three  parts :  the  holy  of  holies,  the  sanctuary, 
or  court  of  the  priests,  arid  the  court  of  the  people.  Within 
the  holy  of  holies  none  but  the  high  priest  was  admitted, 
and  he  but  once  a  year;  within  the  sanctuary,  or  court  of 
the  priests,  none  but  the  Levites  and  the  priests ;  and  the 
people  were  confined  to  the  outer  court  of  the  people. 
Moses,  who  had,  not  only  in  the  construction  of  the  taber- 
nacle, but  in  many  other  matters,  imitated  the  symbolism 
of  the  Egyptian  priests,  sought,  however,  to  efface  from 
his  religion  all  that  recalled  the  worship  of  the  stars,31  but 
in  vain;  for  a  crowd  of  its  characteristics  remained.  Tho 
twelve  signs  of  the  zodiac  were  but  repeated  on  the  ban- 
ners of  the  twelve  tribes,  and  on  the  twelve  jewels  in  the 
urim  of  the  high  priest;  the  Pleiades,  or  seven  stars,  in  the 
seven  lights  of  the  sacred  candlesticks;  the  feast  of  the 
two  equinoxes,  openings  and  closings  of  the  two  hemi- 
spheres, the  ceremony  of  the  lamb  or  celestial  ram;  finally, 
the  name  of  Osiris,  preserved  in  his  canticles,  and  the  ark 
or  coffer,  imitated  from  the  tomb  within  which  this  god 
was  inclosed,  all  served  as  witnesses  of  the  birth-place  of 
these  ideas  and  to  their  extraction  from  an  Egyptian  source. 
Subsequently  we  find  in  the  construction  of  the  temple  at 
Jerusalem  but  a  repetition,  on  a  grander  scale,  of  the  same 


ANCIENT    WORSHIPS    AND    MYSTERIES.  375 

proportions  and  measurements  which  characterize  the  tab- 
ernacle of  the  fugitive  Israelites  in  the  wilderness. 

All  the  doctrines  of  the  Hebrews  were  not  written  ;  they 
had  oral  traditions  which  were  known  to  but  a  few  among 
them.  These  traditions  were  preserved  in  the  arcance  of 
divers  secret  Hebrew  associations — among  the  Kasedeens, 
the  Thempeutes,  and  the  Essenians.*2  It  was  in  this  latter 
sect  that  Jesus  Christ,  the  founder  of  Christianity,33  was 
educated,  and  wherein  he  imbibed  the  sublime  doctrine 
which  he  revealed  to  the  world.  In  the  beginning,  the 
initiation  into  the  mysteries  of  Christianity,34  which  was 
composed  of  three  degrees,  was  similar  to  that  of  the  pa- 
gans, and  the  connection  between  the  Christian  legend  and 
all  those  by  which  the  priests  allegorical ly  represented  the 
annual  revolution  of  the  sun  are  very  striking,  as  they  can 
not  fail  to  excite  the  thought  that  the  disciples  of  Christ 
had  prefigured  his  birth,  his  life,  and  his  death  under  solar 
appearances. 

Among  ths  secret  societies  who  best  resisted  the  uni- 
versal tendency,  and  transmitted  an  uninterrupted  succes- 
sion of  the  mysteries,  after  the  fall  of  Jerusalem,  should  be 
placed,  after  the  Essenians,  those  called  the  Cabbalists,  who 
have  never  ceased  to  exist,  and  of  whom  there  are  to-day 
numerous  branches  among  the  Jews  of  the  eastern  world, 
in  Germany  and  Poland. 


MYSTERIES  OF  ELEITSIS. 

The  worship  of  Ceres,  the  goddess  of  agriculture,  (the 
Isis  of  the  Egyptians,)  was  established  at  Eleusis,  after  its 
initiation  in  Egypt,  toward  the  fifteenth  century  before 
Christ.  This  worship  was  founded  upon  that  of  Isis  aiuJ 
Osiris  and  the  Egyptian  gods,  and  subsequently  became, 
among  the  Greeks,  so  fertile  in  imagination,  the  beginning 


376  GENERAL   HISTORY  OF  FREEMASONRY. 

of  the  errors  of  Polytheism.  By  the  abuse  of  the  figura- 
tive language,  the  phenomena  of  the  heavens  and  the  earth 
became,  in  this  system,  a  record  of  human  events,  births, 
marriages,  adulteries,  combats,  flights,  and  murders — in  a 
word,  fables  and  myths,  in  the  representation  of  which 
their  original  meaning  was  lost. 

The  initiation  into  the  mysteries  of  Ceres  was  divided 
into  greater  arid  lesser  mysteries;  the  latter  were  celebrated 
at  the  time  of  the  vernal  equinox,  and  the  former  at  that 
of  autumn.  The  lesser  mysteries  were  a  preparation  for 
the  greater  mysteries  by  the  young,  of  purifications  and 
expiations,  to  be  followed  by  a  historic  interpretation  of  the 
fables.  In  submitting  to  them,  the  youths  were  purged  of 
the  polytheism  of  their  principal  fancies  and  immoralities. 
In  the  greater  mysteries  was  begun  the  allegorical  explana- 
tions of  the  most  abstruse  mysteries.  By  the  initiation 
into  these  greater  mysteries,  polytheism  was  destroyed  at 
its  root,  and  the  doctrine  of  the  unity  of  God  and  the  im- 
mortality of  the  soul  was  taught,  together  with  a  revelation 
of  philosophical  truths  more  extended,  more  profound,  and 
more  mysterious  than  those  of  any  other  known  worship. 
In  lapse  of  time  these  mysteries  were  altered  and  corrupted, 
like  all  the  others. 


MYSTEKIES  OF  SAMOTHEACIA. 

The  worship  and  the  mysteries  of  the  Cabires  (Egyptian 
gods),  established  in  the  island,  of  Samothracia,  by  Or- 
pheus (1330  B.  C.),  were  originally  from  Egypt,  having 
passed  through  Phenicia  and  there  taken  other  names. 
The  four  principal  gods  of  this  worship  were  called,  in 
Samothracia,  Axieros,  Axiokersa,  Axiokersos,  and  Cad- 
millus.  The  initiation  was  based  upon  a  solar  legend,  like 
that  of  Osiris  and  Typhon,  Adonis  and  Venus.  Subse- 


ANCIENT   WORSHIPS   AND   MYSTERIES.  377 

i 

qucntly  the  names  of  the  Cabires  was  again  crianged  to 
that  of  Ceres,  Proserpine,  Pluto,  and  Mercury  (Ilcrmcs). 


MYSTERIES  OF  THE  PHRYGIANS  AND  PHENICIANS 

The  mysterious  worship  of  the  Phrygians  in  honor  of 
Cybele  (the  goddess  of  nature  or  reproduction),  and  of 
her  son  Atys,  had  two  temples,  the  one  upon  Mount  Ida, 
and  the  other  in  the  city  of  Pessinuntus.  Atys  was  a 
deified  priest,  who  taught  the  Phrygians  the  mysteries 
of  nature.  lie  represents  the  sun,  and  in  the  legend 
which  forms  the  basis  of  the  initiation,  he  is  subjected  to 
the  same  fortune  as  Osiris  and  Adonis — always  the  fictitious 
death  of  the  sun  and  his  resurrection. 

The  worship  and  the  mysteries  of  Adonai,  among  the 
Phenicians  and  the  Syrians,  is  identically  the  same. 
Cybele  there  takes  the  name  of  Adonai,  (of  which  the 
Greek  was  Adonis,)  always  indicative  of  the  goddess 
Nature,  who,  as  widow  of  him  in  whom  she  had  her  joy 
and  her  fruit  fulness,  renews  with  haste  her  vows  at  that 
moment  when,  conqueror  of  darkness,  he  has  again  as- 
sumed the  heat  and  brilliancy  which  he  had  lost. 

The  feasts  which  were  celebrated  among  the  Phrygians 
and  Phenicians  took  place  at  the  time  of  the  equinoxes. 
Their  most  celebrated  temples  are  to  be  found  at  Balbek38 
and  at  Tadmor,  known  to-day  as  Palmyra.37 


MYSTERIES  OF  THE   ROMANS. 

The  most  ancient  god  of  Latium — brought  from  the 
East,  however,  and  not  aboriginal  with  the  Latins — was 
Janus38  or  Saturn,  who  took  many  names  and  many  attri- 


378  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF    FREEMASONRY. 

butes,  without  ceasing  to  be  recognizable.  He  presided 
over  revolutions  in  nature,  and  particularly  that  principal 
and  most  remarkable  of  all  revolutions,  the  year  or  circle  of 
the  months.  He  is  sometimes  regarded  as  time,  sometimes 
as  astronomy,  and  often  the  sun  himself,  the  great  regu- 
lator of  the  seasons  and  the  cycles.  Janus,  with  his 
double  face,  with  the  keys  which  also  served  him  as  a 
more  distinctive  mark,  represented  the  end  and  the  begin- 
ning of  a  period :  he  opened  and  closed  the  year,  which 
commenced  with  the  equinox  of  spring-time  and  ended 
with  the  shortest  day  in  December.  The  eagle,  given  as 
a  companion  to  Janus  (the  St.  John  of  the  Freemasons), 
is  the  famous  cock  of  the  Guebers. 

The  myth  upon  which  reposed  the  worship  of  Janus  or 
Saturn  was  very  mysterious,  and  was  explained  but  to  the 
highest  initiates.  The  saturnalian  feasts  were  the  cele- 
bration of  the  winter  solstice. 

The  worship  of  the  good  goddess,  which  followed  that 
of  Janus,  was  brought  to  Italy  by  a  colony  of  Phrygians. 
The  mysteries  of  Eleusis  were  imported  by  Roman  in- 
itiates from  Greece.  This  worship,  adopted  and  propa- 
gated by  the  great  legislator  Numa  Pompilius,  became 
the  basis  of  the  religious  ceremonies  and  the  initiation  of 
the  colleges  of  builders  founded  by  him. 

The  mysteries  of  Mithra  and  of  Isis,  which,  under  the 
reign  of  the  emperors,  were  established  at  Home,  were 
polluted  with  corruption  from  the  beginning,  and  at  many 
times  their  abuse  caused  them  to  be  proscribed.  They 
were  a  bad  resemblance  of  the  old  Egyptian  or  Persian 
ceremonies  from  which  they  were  borrowed,  and  like 
them  only  in  name. 

Rome,  which  had  received  from  the  East  gods,  legends, 
and  religious  customs,  having  become  the  conqueror  of 
that  vast  country,  returned  to  it  more  than  one  new 
divinity  and  new  forms  of  worship. 


ANCIENT   WORSHIPS   AND   MYSTERIES.  379 

SYBILS   AND   OJ&CLES 
The  Clairvoyants  and  Ecstatic  Somnambulists  of  Our  Day. 

The  name  of  sj'bils  was  given  by  the  Egyptians  to 
those  priestesses  who  were  endowed  with  the  gift  of  clair- 
voyance, whether  acquired  naturally  or  by  means  of  mag- 
netism, and  who  revealed  to  the  priests  a  portion  of  the 
secrets  of  nature;  while  the  name  of  oracles  was  given  to 
those  \yho,  plunged  into  an  ecstatic  state,  predicted  future 
events.  There  were  generally  reckoned  ten  of  the  first, 
viz.:  the  Cumean,  the  Lybian,  the  Chaldean,  the  Delphic, 
the  Erythrean,  the  Samnian,  the  Lucauian,  the  Phrygian, 
the  Hellespontine,  and  the  Tiburtine.  The  most  famous 
oracles  were  those  of  Fta  at  Memphis,  of  Frea  at  Ileliop- 
olis,  of  Isis  at  Bubaste,  of  Trephonius  at  Boetia,  of  Am- 
phiarus  at  Oropus,  of  Fortune  at  Atium,  of  Serapis  at 
Alexandria,  of  Hercules  at  Athens,  of  ^Esculapius  at 
Epidorus  and  Rome,  of  Pan  at  Arcadia,  of  Diana  at 
Ephesus,  of  Minerva  at  Mycenus,  of  Venus  at  Paphos,  of 
Mercury  at  Patras,  of  Mars  in  Thrace,  of  Apollo  at  Del- 
phos,  at  Claros,  and  at  Miletus,  and  of  Minerva  at  Saos. 
The  Jews  also  had  their  sybils,  of  whom  Huldah,  in  the 
time  of  the  king  Jesias,  was  the  most  celebrated. 


380  GENERAL.  HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 


THE 

LEGISLATORS,  REFORMERS  AKD  FOUNDERS 

OF 

WORSHIPS  AND  MYSTERIES 


INDIA. 

Bhudda  (celestial  man),  the 'three  most  ancient  reform- 
ers to  whom  this  name  is  given  by  the  Hindoos,  and  whose 
memory  they  venerate,  belong  to  that  period  when,  ac- 
cording to  the  hieroglyphic  accounts,  the  stars  were  per- 
sonitied.  The  Hindoos  had  arrived  at  a  high  degree  of 
civilization  a  long  time  before  the  advent  of  Menou,  as  is 
proven  by  their  monuments ;  and  centuries  before  his 
coming  they  communicated  their  science  and  their  astro- 
nomical knowledge  to  the  Persians  and  the  Egyptians,  see- 
ing that  the  establishment  of  the  Hindoo  zodiac  belongs 
to  the  century  that  elapsed  between  4700  and  4600  B.  C. 
The  three  first  Bhuddas  should  then  be  classed  at  from 
5500  to  5000  B.  C. 

Menou,  Hindoo  legislator,  founder  of  the  doctrine  of  the 
three  principles  or  God,  (the  sun  of  spring-time,  the  sun 
of  summer,  and  the  sun  of  winter,)  all  three  distinct  and 
yet  forming  an  only  god,  which  were  subsequently  personi- 
fied by  Brahma,  Vishnu,  and  Shiva  (the  sun  in  its  three 
forms  of  action  as  the  source  of  all  triune  systems).  The 
doctrine  of  Menou  is  contained  in  the  book,  the  Manava- 
Dharma-Shastra,  of  which  a  second  Menou  was  the  author. 
He  disappeared  between  4000  and  3800  B.  C. 

Bhudda- Shaucasam,  reformer  and  founder  of  the  doctrine 
contained  in  the  Bhagavat-Ghita,  the  most  ancient,  book 


ANCIENT   WORSHIPS   AXD    MYSTERIES.  381 

of  the  Hindoos,  which  goes  back  to  from  3400  to  3100 
B.  C.  This  reformer  is  considered  as  the  first  incarnation 
of  the  Supreme  Being,  and  at  the  same  time  the  mediator 
and  expiator  of  the  crimes  of  men.  He  disappeared  be- 
tween 3600  and  3500  B.  C. 

Blnulda-Gonagom.  a  reformer,  who  was  also  deified  as  the 
second  incarnation  of  the  Supreme  Being.  lie  disappeared 
about  the  year  2368  B.  C. 

Bhudda-Gaspa,  a  reformer,  who  was  also  deified  as  the 
third  incarnation  of  the  Supreme  Being,  and  who  disap- 
peared about  the  year  1027  B.  C. 

Bluulda- Somalia -Guatama,  a  profound  philosopher,  author 
of  the  Guadsour  (Khghiour),  which  contained  his  doctrines 
and  precepts,  lie  was  deified  as  the  fourth  incarnation 
of  the  Supreme  Being.  Born  in  the  year  607,  he  died  in 
the  year  557  B.  C. 

PERSIA. 

Horn,  founder  of  the  worship  of  fire,  between  3800  and 
4000  B.  C. 

JDjemschid,  founder  of  the  worship  of  the  sun,  between 
3700  and  3600  B.  C. 

The  Magi  Priests,  reformers  of  the  worship  of  the  sun, 
about  3600  B.  C. 

Milhra,  reformer  of  the  degenerate  worship  of  Media, 
deified  as  the  representative  of  the  sun,  about  the  year 
2550  B.  C. 

Zoroaster,  prophet  of  the  Persians,  grand  master  of  the 
Magi  priests,  and  founder  of  an  austere  worship,  between 
1400  and  1300  B.  C. 

ETHIOPIA. 

Osiris,  warrior  and  civilizer,  reformer  of  (lie  worship  of 
Cneph-Ammon,  of  Fta  and  ISTeith,  the  most  ancient  trinity 
of  the  Abyssinians,  above  which  was  placed  an  eternal 
and  infinite  god  (lehov),  who  is  the  source  of  all  things. 
Osiris  appeared  about  5000  B.  C. 


382  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

Priests  of  Meroe,  founders  of  the  worship  of  the  twelve 
celestial  gods,  the  same  being  the  powers  of  nature,  the 
planets,  and  the  elements  personified.  The  celestial  bull, 
which  opened  the  equinox  of  spring-time  (from  between  the 
years  4580  and  2428),  was  the  object  of  a  special  worship. 
The  temple  of  Meroe  was  erected  between  the  years  4700 
and  4600  B.  0.,  and  the  zodiac  of  the  temple  of  Esneh 
was  erected  between  4600  and  4500  B.  C. 

EGYPT. 

Priests  of  Egypt,  reformers  of  the  worship  of  the  twelve  ce- 
lestial gods  of  the  subordinates — You-piter,  supreme  god — 
to  the  trinity  of  Osiris  (god  of  the  sun),  of  Isis  (the  moon), 
and  Horns  their  son  (the  earth),  which  became  the  prin- 
cipal worship  of  the  Egyptians.  Besides  the  worship  of 
the  bull  (Aphis),  they  also  celebrated  that  of  the  celestial 
ram,  which,  in  its  turn,  and  by  the  precession  of  the  equi- 
noxes, opened  the  equinox  of  spring-time,  from  the  years 
2540  to  323  B.  C.  These  priests  ruled  in  Egypt  between 
the  years  4200  and  4000  B.  C. 

Hermes,  priest-king,  reformer,  author  of  charts  and  oc- 
cult sciences,  who  taught  and  introduced  them  into  the 
mysteries.  His  doctrine  and  science  are  contained  in  the 
books  which  bear  his  name.  He  disappeared  in  the  year 
3370  B.  C. 

Moses,  a  priest  of  Heliopolis,  chief  and  legislator  of  the 
Hebrews,  founder  of  their  worship,  and  the  doctrines  of 
which  are  contained  in  the  first  five  books  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament; born  in  1725  B.  C. 

GREECE. 

Orpheus,  philosopher  and  legislator,  initiated  in  Egypt, 
founded  the  mysteries  in  the  island  of  Samothracia  in  the 
year  1530  B.  C. 

Triptoleme,  son  of  the  king  Eleusis,  initiated  in  Egypt, 
founded  the  mysteries  of  Eleusis  in  the  year  1500  B.  C. 


ANCIENT   WORSHIPS   AND    MYSTERIES. 

Pythagoras,  a  celebrated  philosopher,  initiated  into  the 
mysteries  of  Egypt  and  Persia,  founded  at  Crotona  his 
mysterious  school  in  which  were  united  the  characteristics 
of  worship  and  initiation.  His  doctrine  embraced  all  the 
sciences  known  in  his  time. 

ROME. 

Numa  Pompilius,  the  great  legislator  and  civil izer,  in- 
troduced into  Rome  the  mysteries  of  Greece.  lie  founded 
the  colleges  of  architects  and  builders  (the  cradle  of  Free- 
masonry) in  the  year  715  B.  C. 

CHINA. 

Confucius  (Kong-Tseu),  a  celebrated  philosopher  and  re- 
former of  the  ancient  degenerated  worship.  His  philo- 
sophical religious  doctrine  is  contained  in  the  Chon-Kiug, 
the  morals  of  which  are  among  the  most  beautiful.  Born 
in  600,  he  died  in  the  year  550  B.  C. 

Lao-Tseu,  a  reformer,  who  preached  a  mystical  doctrine 
which  is  to  be  found  in  the  Tao-te-King  (primitive  reason), 
was  considered  by  the  Chinese  as  an  incarnation  of  the 
Supreme  Being.  He  lived  in  the  sixth  century  B.  C. 

JUDEA. 

Jesus  Christ,  founder  of  Christianity,  and  author  of 
evangelical  morality,  breathing  peace  and  charity,  the 
most  simple  and  the  most  sublime  which  has  ever  been 
taught  to  man.  It  is  to  be  found  contained  in  the  books 
of  the  New  Testament.  His  birth  gives  us  a  new  era,  and 
his  death  took  place  A.  D.  33. 


384  GENERAL    HISTOKY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 


NOTES.' 


1. —  Worships  and  Mysteries. 

Mystery  properly  signifies  that  portion  of  the  doctrines  of  any 
form  of  religion  for  which  reason  is  unable  to  account,  and  which, 
consequently,  is  dependent  upon  faith.  Thus  the  life  of  Christ 
presents,  as  we  find  it  in  the  Evangelists,  many  mysteries,  as  the 
incarnation,  the  nativity,  his  passion,  his  resurrection  ;  and,  in  the 
earlier  days  of  Christianity,  baptism,  the  eucharist,  and  the  other 
sacraments,  were  all  called  holy  mysteries.  In  the  mysteries  of 
Egypt  and  that  of  some  other  nations,  the  exterior  worship,  the 
processions,  etc.,  all  that  took  place  outside  of  the  temples,  and 
in  the  courts  of  the  temples,  constituted  the  feasts.  In  these 
every  body,  even  the  slaves,  could  participate  and  assist ;  but  the 
initiated  alone  were  admitted  to  the  mysteries. 

2. —  Theology  of  the  Ancients. 

All  the  ancient  peoples  having  their  colleges  of  priests  and 
astronomical  and  astrological  books  cotemponmeously,  were  alike 
affected  by  the  discoveries,  disputes,  errors,  or  perfections  that  in 
all  times  have  agitated  the  students  of  nature  and  philosophy. 
The  more  we  have  penetrated,  during  the  past  thirty  or  forty 
years,  into  the  secret  sciences,  and  especially  into  the  astronomy 
and  cosmogony  of  the  modern  Asiatics,  the  Chinese  and  Burmese, 
the  more  we  are  convinced  of  the  affinity  of  their  doctrine  with 
those  of  the  ancient  peoples  from  whom  they  have  descended. 

Indeed,  in  certain  particulars  it  has  been  transmitted  more  pure 
than  with  us,  because  it  has  not  been  altered  by  those  anthro- 
pomorphical innovations  which  has  denaturalized  every  thing  else. 
This  comparison  of  ancient  and  modern  theology  is  a  fruitful 
mine,  which,  if  entered  in  the  right  spirit  and  with  the  mind 
divested  of  prejudice,  will  afford  a  crowd  of  ideas  equally  new 
and  historically  correct;  but  to  appreciate  and  welcome  them,  it  is 
necessary  that  the  reader  should  also  be  free  from  prejudice. 

When  the  Chaldean  priests  were  seeking  a  general  knowledge 
of  the  earth's  phenomena,  as  appears  by  researches  in  the  books 
of  the  Hindoos,  they  studied  from  a  single  point  of  view  the 

Serving  to  illustrate  and  authorize  sundry  passages  of  the  text  of  tlie 
Worship  and  the  Mysteries  of  the  Ancient  Eastern  World. 


NOTES.  885 

operations  of  vegetable  and  animal  nature,  and,  concluding  upon 
the  hypothesis  that  the  sun  represented  the  principles  of  heat 
and  life,  and  darkness  those  of  cold  and  death,  from  this  basis, 
true  as  it  most  assuredly  is,  have  been  built  up  the  innumerable 
fictions  which  disfigure  all  ancient  theology. 

3. — Sacred  Books  of  all  the  Peoples. 

The  Yedas  or  Vedams  are  the  sacred  books  of  the  Hindoos,  as 
the  Bible  is  ours.  They  are  three  in  number,  the  llig-Veda,  the 
Yadjour-Veda,  and  the  Sama-Veda.  These  books  are  very  rare, 
being  written  in  the  most  ancient  known  language  of  the  Brah 
mins.  Those  who  count  four  Vedas  have  added  the  Attar-Veda, 
which  treats  of  the  ceremonies.  In  addition  to  these  books  there 
are  a  collection  of  commentaries  upon  them  which  is  called  the 
Oupanashada,  of  which  a  French  translation  has  been  published 
by  Anquetil  Duperron,  under  the  title  of  Oupen  akhat — a  curious 
book  in  this,  that  it  gives  an  idea  of  all  the  others.  The  date 
r)f  the  Vedas,  twenty-five  to  thirty  centuries  before  our  era,  and 
'heir  contents,  show  that  all  the  reveries  of  the  Greek  metaphy- 
sicians came  from  India.  After  the  Vedas  come  the  Shasters,  to 
the. number  of  six.  They  treat  of  theology  and  science.  Then, 
Ao  the  number  of  eight,  come  the  Pouranas,  which  treat  of  mythol- 
ogy and  history.  The  book  entitled  Manava-Dharma-Shastra  con- 
tains the  laws  of  the  first  reformer  Menou. 

After  the  sacred  books  of  the  Hindoos  coir»^  those  of  the  Per- 
«5ans,  the  Sadder  and  the  Zend-Avesta,  the  religious  code  of  the 
Bactrians,  Assyrians,  Chaldeans,  and  Medes.  They  contain  the 
doctrine  of  Zoroaster.  The  Boun-Dehesch,  the  book  of  Genesis 
of  the  Parsees,  successors  of  the  ancient  Persians,  is  a  compila- 
tion of  the  ancient  laws  of  the  Magi.  After  these  come  the  five 
books  of  Hermes,  the  priest-king  of  Egypt,  founder  of  the  castes, 
who  lived  about  3370  B.  C.  Then  the  Taote-King  and  Chou-King 
of  the  Chinese,  the  first  of  which  contains  the  metaphysical  doc- 
trines of  Lao-Tseu,  and  the  second  the  sublimely  moral  doctrines 
of  Kong-Tseu  (Confucius.)  Then,  in  point  of  time,  may  be 
ranked  our  Bible,  the  Old  Testament  of  which  contains  the  cos- 
mogony of  the  Jews  and  Christians,  and  the  laws  of  Moses,  with 
a  history  of  the  Hebrew  people,  and  the  New  Testament  of  which 
contains  the  Gospels  of  evangelical  morality,  peace,  and  charity 
of  Jesus  Christ,  the  founder  of  Christianity.  The  Koran  of  Ma- 
homet, containing  the  precepts  and  doctrine  transmitted  by  him 
to  his  followers,  would  necessarily  follow,  to  make  the  list  com- 
plete. 

Egypt  is  the  only  country  which  possessed  a  complete  code  of 
doctrines  of  great  antiquity.     Clement  of  Alexandria   has  trans- 
mitted   to   us  a   curious    detail  of  forty-two  volumes  which   were 
25 


386  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

carried  in  the  processions  of  Isis.  "  The  chief,  or  singer,"  says 
he,  "  carries  an  instrument  symbolical  of  music,  and.  two  books 
of  Mercury  (Hermes),  one  of  them  containing  the  hymns  of  the 
gods,  and  the  other  the  list  of  the  kings.  After  him  comes  the 
horoseopist,  observer  of  the  seasons,  carrying  a  palm-branch  and 
a  time-piece  symbolic  of  jistrology.  He  has  to  know  by  heart  the 
four  books  of  Mercury  (Hermes),  which  treat  of  astrology  :  the 
first  of  which  treats  of  the  order  of  the  planets,  the  second  of  the 
ising  and  setting  of  the  sun  and  moon,  and  the  third  and  fourth 
of  their  movements  in  their  orbits,  and  the  aspects  of  the  stars. 
Then  comes  the  sacred  writer,  having  some  feathers  stuck  into 
his  hair,  and  in  his  hand»a  book,  an  ink-bottle,  and  a  reed  for 
writing,  according  to  the  manners  of  the  Arabs.  This  officer  has 
to  understand  the  language  of  the  hieroglyphics,  the  description 
of  the  universe,  the  courses  of  the  sun,  moon,  and  planets,  the 
division  of  Egypt  into  thirty-six  districts,  the  course  of  the  Nik, 
the  sacred  ornaments,  the  holy  places,  etc.  Then  comes  the  stole 
bearer,  who  carries  the  gauge  of  justice,  or  measure  of  the  Nile, 
and  a  chalice  for  libations,  together  with  ten  volumes  containing 
the  sacrifices,  the  hymns,  the  prayers,  the  offerings,  and  ceremo- 
nies of  the  feasts.  Finally  appears  the  prophet,  carrying  in  his 
bosom,  but  exposed,  a  pitcher.  He  is  followed  by  those  who 
carry  the  bread,  as  at  the  marriage  feast  of  Cana.  This  prophet. 
in  his  position  as  keeper  of  the  mysteries,  must  know  by  heart 
the  ten  volumes  which  treat  of  the  laws,  of  the  gods,  and  of  all 
the  discipline  of  the  priests,  etc.,  which  are  outside  of  the  forty- 
two  volumes.  Thirty-six  are  known  by  these  persons,  and  the 
other  six,  treating  of  medicine,  of  the  construction  of  the  human 
frame,  of  sickness,  of  medicaments,  and  of  surgical  instruments, 
belong  to  the  pastophores. 

4. — Cosmogonies. 

The  recital  of  the  creation  of  the  world,  as  it  is  expressed  in 
Genesis,  is  to  be  found  almost  literally  in  the  ancient  cosmogonies, 
and  more  particularly  in  those  of  the  Chaldeans  and  Persians, 
proving  that  the  Jews  but  borrowed  it  from  these  people.  That 
our  readers  may  judge  for  themselves,  we  here  give  a  faithful 
translation — much  more  faithful  than  that  which  we  have  from 
the  Greek  and  Latin  : 

"  In  the  beginning,  the  gods  (Elohim)  created  (lara)  the  heav- 
ens and  the  earth.  And  the  earth  was  confused  and  desert,  and 
darkness  was  upon  its  face.  And  the  wind  (or  the  spirit)  of  the 
gods  acted  upon  the  face  of  the  waters.  And  the  gods  said  :  Let 
the  light  be  !  and  the  light  was ;  and  he  saw  that  the  light  was 
good,  and  he  separated  it  from  the  darkness  And  he  called  the 


NOTES.  387 

light  day  and  the  darkness  night ;  and  the  night  and  the  morning 
were  a  first  day. 

"And  the  gods  said:  Let  the  void  (ragia)  be  (made)  in  the 
middle  of  the  waters,  and  let  it  separate  the  waters  from  the 
waters;  and  the  gods  nia-ue  the  void,  separating  the  waters  which 
arc  under  the  void,  and  he  gave  to  (he  void  the  name  of  heavens* 
and  the  night  and  the  morning  were  a  second  day. 

•*  And  the  go  h  said  :  Let  the  waters  under  the  heavens  collect 
lliomselves  in  if  one  place,  and  let  the  dry  earth  appear.  That 
was  so,  and  he  gave  the  name  of  earth  to  the  shallows  and  the 
narae  of  sea  to  the  body  of  waters;  and  he  said:  Let  the  earth 
produce  vegetables  with  their  seeds;  and  the  night  and  the  morn- 
ing were  a  third  day,  etc. 

''And  the  fourth  day  he  made  the  bodies  of  light  (the  sun  and 
the  moon)  for  to  separate  the  day  from  the  night,  and  to  serve  as 
signs  to  the  times,  to  the  days  and  to  the  years.  At  the  fifth  day 
he  made  the  reptiles  of  the  water,  the  birds  and  the  fishes.  At  the 
sixth  day  the  gods  made  the  reptiles  of  the  earth,  the  four-footed 
and  wild  animals,  and  he  said:  make  man  to  our  image  and  to  o&r 
likeness  ;  and  he  created  (bard)  man  to  his  image,  and  he  it  created 
to  his  image,  and  he  them  created  (bara)  male  and  female;  and  he 
rested  himself  at  the  seventh  day. 

u  Now,  it  rained  not  upon  the  earth,  but  an  abundant  moisture 
arose  from  the  earth,  and  sprinkled  all  its  surface. 

"And  he  had  planted  the  garden  of  Eden  (anteriorly  or  to  the 
East)  ;  he  there  placed  man.  At  the  middle  of  the  garden  was  the 
tree  of  life  and  the  tree  of  the  science  of  good  and  evil.  And  from 
the  garden  of  Eden  went  forth  a  river  which  divided  into  four 
streams,  called  Phtson,  Gihon,  Tigris,  and  Euphrates. 

"And  Jehouh  the  gods  said:  It  is  not  good  that  man  should  be 
alone,  and  he  sent  him  a  sleep,  during  which  he  withdrew  from  him 
a  rib,  of  which  he  built  the  woman,"  etc. 

If  such  a  recital  as  this  was  presented  to  us  by  the  Brahmins  or 
the  Lamas,  it  would  be  curious  to  hear  our  doctors  censure  these 
anomalies.  What  a  strange  condition  of  physics,  they  would  say.  to 
suppose  that  light  existed  before  the  sun  was  created,  before  the  stars, 
arid  independently  of  them,  and,  what  is  more  offensive  to  reason, 
to  say  that  there  was  a  night  and  a  morning,  when  the  night  and 
the  morning  were  nothing  but  the  appearance  or  disappearance  of 
that  body  of  light  which  makes  the  day. 

We  quite  agree  with  our  doctors  on  this  subject,  and  can  no 
more  than  they  control  these  anomalies;  but  because  the  account 
resists  the  laws  of  sober  reason,  we  must  turn  to  the  consideration  of 
the  allegorical  explanation  of  it.  The  reader  is,  no  doubt,  surprised 
with  this  translation  or' the  creative  gods;  nevertheless,  such  is  the 
value  of  the  text,  in  the  view  of  all  grammarians.  But  why  this  plural 
governing  the  singular?  Because  the  Jew  translator,  pressed  by  two 


388  GENERAL    HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

contradictory  authorities,  had  no  other  way  of  relieving  his  embar- 
rassment. The  law  of  Moses  prescribed  but  an  only  God,  while  the 
cosmogonies,  not  alone  of  the  Chaldeans,  but  of  nearly  all  known  na- 
tions, attributed  to  the  secondary  gods,  and  not  to  the  one  great  God, 
the  creation  of  the  world.  The  Jewish  translator  had  not  courage 
enough  to  reject  a  word  sacred  to  law  and  usage.-  Among  the 
Egyptians  these  Elohim  were  the  deacons,  and,  among  the  Persians 
and  Chaldeans,  the  geni  of  the  months  and  the  planets,  as  we  are 
informed  by  the  Phenecian  author  Sanchoniathon. 

Now  observe  how  the  Vedas,  the  sacred  books  of  the  Hindoos, 
account  for  the  creation  of  the  world. 

''  In  the  beginning  there  was  an  only  God,  self-created  and  self- 
sustaining.  After  having  passed  an  eternity  in  the  contemplation 
of  his  own  being,  he  desired  to  exhibit  his  perfections  beyond 
himself,  and  created  the  matter  of  the  world.  The  four  elements 
having  been  produced,  but,  as  yet,  in  a  confused  condition,  he 
blew  upon  the  waters  and  they  became  inflated  like  an  immense 
bubble  in  the  form  of  an  egg,  and  which,  developing,  became  the 
vault  and  orb  of  heaven  which  surround  the  world.  Then,  having 
made  the  earth  and  the  bodies  of  living  beings,  this  God,  essence 
of  movement,  to  animate  these  bodies,  distributed  among  them  a 
portion  of  his  own  being,  and  this  portion,  as  the  soul  of  all  that 
respire,  being  a  fraction  of  the  universal  soul,  can  not  perish,  but 
must  pass  successively  into  divers  bodies.  Of  all  the  forms  of 
living  beings,  that  which  pleased  the  Divine  Being  most  was  the 
form  of  man,  as  approaching  the  nearest  to  his  own  perfections;  so 
that  when  a  man,  by  an  absolute  abnegation  of  sense  (reason)  becomes 
absorbed  in  the  contemplation  of  himself,  he  attains  to  the  dis- 
covery of  the  deity,  and  actually  becomes  divine.  Among  the 
incarnation  of  this  species  which  God  has  already  clothed,  the 
most  solemn  and  holy  was  him  who  appeared  in  the  twenty-eighth 
century  in  Kachemire,  under  the  name  of  Bhudd.i,  to  teach  the 
doctrine  of  the  new  birth  and  the  renunciation  of  self."  And  *he 
book,  retracing  the  subsequent  history  of  Bhudda,  continues  to 
say  : 

"  That  he  was  born  from  the  right  side  of  a  virgin  of  the  blood 
royal,  who,  in  becoming  a  mother,  did  not  cease  to  be  a  virgin. 
That  the  king  of  the  country,  disquieted  by  his  birth,  wished  to 
destroy  him,  and  therefore  massacred  all  the  male  children  born 
at  that  time  ;  but  that  he,  saved  by  shepherds,  took  refuge  in 
the  desert,  where  he  remained  until  he  had  attained  his  thirtieth 
year,  when  he  commenced  his  career  of  enlightening  man  and 
casting  out  devils.  That  he  performed  a  number  of  the  most 
astonishing  miracles;  spent  himself  by  fisting  and  self-denial  the 
most  severe  ;  and  that,  in  dying,  he  left  to  his  disciples  a  book 
which  contained  his  doetrine  "—  a  doctrine  which  is  summed  up  in 
the  following  passages  : 


NOTES.  389 

"  He  who  abandons  his  father  and  mother  to  follow  ine,  says 
Blmd'la,  becomes  a  perfect  Samaoeeo  (celestial  man). 

"  He  who  practices  my  precepts  to  the  fourth  degree  of  perfec- 
tion acquires  the  faculty  of  flying  through  the  air,  of  moving  heaven 
and  earth,  and  of  prolonging  or  shortening  his  life. 

'"  The  S.un mcen  despises  riches ;    he  uses  but  the  most  simple 
necessaries  ;  he  mortifies  the  body  ;  his  passions  are  mute  ;  he  de 
sires  nothing,  is  attached  to  nothing  ;  he  meditates  my  doctrine; 
lie  patiently  suffers  injuries;  he  bears  no  hate  toward  his  neighbor. 

"  Hoaven  and  earth  shall  perish,  says  Bhudd.t ;  despising,  then, 
your  body,  composed  as  it  is  of  four  perishable  elements,  think  of 
nothing  but  your  immortal  soul. 

•l  Hearken  not  to  the  promptings  of  the  flesh  ;  the  passions  pro- 
duce fear  and  vexation.  Subdue  the  passions,  and  you  will  anni- 
hilate fear  and  vexation. 

''  He  who  dies  without  embracing  my  religion,  says  Bhudda, 
returns  among  men  until  he  does  practice  it." 

The  Vedas  of  the  Hindoos  which  contain  these  accounts  of  the 
creation,  and  the  incarnation  and  doctrine  of  a  deified  man,  are 
believed  to  have  existed  at  least  three  thousand  years  before  the 
Christian  era;  and  this  doctrine,  presenting,  as  it  does,  the  most 
striking  analogy  to  that  of  Christ,  as  we  find  tke  latter  in  the 
gospels,  was  spread  throughout  the  eastern  world  more  than  a 
thousand  years  before  Jesus  Christ  appeared  upon  the  earth.  In 
reading  these  passages  does  it  not  seem  more  probable  that  the 
teachings  of  Christ  have  come  to  us  rather  through  Hindoo  than 
Hebrew  writings? 

5. — Symbols. 

From  that  moment  when  the  eyes  of  the  people  who  cultivated 
the  earth  were  directed  toward  the  heavens,  the  necessity  of  ob- 
serving the  stars,  of  distinguishing  them  singly  or  in  groups,  and 
of  naming  them  properly,  in  order  to  designate  them  clearly,  be- 
came apparent.  Now  this  object,  seemingly  so  simple,  was  really 
very  difficult ;  for  the  celestial  bodies,  being  nearly  identical  iu 
form,  offered  no  special  characteristic  whereby  to  distinguish  them 
by  name  ;  this  on  the  one  hand,  while,  on  the  other,  the  language 
of  these  people,  from  its  very  poverty  of  words,  had  no  expressions 
for  new  and  metaphysical  ideas.  But  the  ordinary  spring  to 
genius,  necessity,  surmounted  these  difficulties.  Having  remarked 
that,  in  the  annual  revolution  of  the  earth,  the  periodical  appear- 
ance and  renewal  of  terrestri.il  products  became  constantly  asso- 
ciated with  the  rising  and  setting  of  certain  stars,  and  their  position 
relatively  with  the  sun,  a  fundamental  form  of  comparison  was 
established,  which,  by  a  purely  natural  mechanism,  connected  in 
thought  those  terrestrial  and  celestial  objects  which  were  connected 
in  fact ;  and,  applying  to  represent  them  the  like  signs,  they  gave 


390         GENERAL  HISTORY  OF  FREEMASONRY. 

to  the  stars  singly,  and  to  the  groups  which  they  formed,  the  names 
of  the  terrestrial  objects  to  which  they  responded. 

Thus,  the  Ethiopian  of  Thebes,  called  the  constellation  of  inun- 
dation, or  water-flow,  that  under  which  the  Nile  began  to  rise  ;  the 
constellation  of  the  ox  or  bull,  that  under  which  he  beg^n  to  till 
the  earth  ;  the  constellation  of  the  lion,  that  under  which  that 
animal,  driven  from  the  desert  by  thirst,  showed  himself  upon  the 
banks  of  the  river;  the  constellation  of  ripe  corn,  the  virgin  har- 
vester, which  brought  the  return  of  the  harvest;  the  constellalion 
of  flocks  and  herds,  or  the  ram,  that  under  which  these  precious 
animals  gave  birth  to  their  young  ;  and,  in  this  manner,  the  first 
part  of  the  difficulty  was  removed. 

As  to  the  other  part,  man  had  remarked  in  the  beings  around 
him  qualities  distinct  and  peculiar  to  each  species.  By  a  primary 
operation  he  selected  the  name  of  this  quality  to  designate  the 
being  it  distinguished;  and,  by  a  secondary  operation,  he  found  an 
ingenious  means  of  generalizing  these  characteristics,  in  applying 
the  name  thus  invented  to  all  things  which  presented  simihir  traits' 
or  actions,  and  thus  he  enriched  his  language  with  an  enduring 
metaphor. 

Thus  the  same  Ethiopian,  having  observed  that  the  return  of 
the  inundation,  or  overflow  of  the  Nile  constantly  corresponded 
with  the  appearance  of  a  very  beautiful  star,  which  at  this  time 
was  always  to  be  seen  in  the  direction  of  the  head- waters  of  that 
river,  and  which  seemed  to  warn  the  laborer  to  prepare  for  its 
overflow,  he  likened  this  action  to  that  animal  which,  by  its  timely 
barking,  warns  of  approaching  danger,  and  he  called  this  con- 
stellation the  dog,  the  barker  (Sirius).  In  like  manner  he  named, 
from  the  movement  of  the  crab,  the  constellation  cancer,  which 
marks  that  point  in  the  heavens  when  the  sun,  having  attained 
the  tropical  limit  of  his  course,  returns  by  a  backward  and  side- 
ward movement  similar  to  the  motion  of  that  animal.  By  the  title 
of  wild  goat  he  distinguished  the  constellation  capricornus,  which 
marks  the  point  at  which  the  sun,  having  attained  the  greatest 
altitude  in  his  course,  pauses,  and,  as  it  were,  grips  the  height,  as 
the  wild  goat  grips  the  surface  of  the  giddy  height  to  prevent  his 
fall.  By  the  title  of  the  balance,  he  distinguished  the  constella- 
tion Ubra,  which  marks  the  period  when,  as  to  time,  day  and  night 
are  equally  divided  or  balanced  ;  aud  by  the  name  of  the  scorpion, 
he  distinguished  that  constellation  which  marks  the  period  when 
certain  winds  carry  the  burning  sand  across  the  plain,  and  cause 
it  to  strike  with  a  stinging  pain,  resembling  the  stroke  of  a  scor- 
pion. And  in  this  manner,  also,  was  applied  the  name  of  rings, 
rounds,  or  serpents  to  that  form  by  which  was  expressed  an  orbit, 
circle,  or  complete  revolution  of  the  planets,  whether  taken  singly 
or  in  groups,  according  to  their  connection  with  the  operations  of 
the  field  and  cultivation  of  the  earth,  and  the  analogies  that  each 


NOTES.  891 

nation  found  presented  by  their  agricultural  labors,  and  the  pecu- 
liarities of  their  soil  and  climate. 

From  this  process,  it  resulted  that  the  inferior  and  terrestrial 
beings  became  intimately  associated  with  the  superior  and  celestial; 
and  this  association  each  day  gained  strength  from  similar  consti- 
tuti.m  of  language  and  mechanism  of  mind.  Using  this  natural 
metaphor,  they  said  :  The  lull  scatters  upon  the  earth  at  his 
coining  (spring-time)  the  seeds  of  fertility;  he  returns  with  abun- 
dance and  the  creation  of  plants.  The  ram  delivers  the  heavens 
from  the  evils  of  winter ;  he  saves  the  world  from  the  serpent 
(emblem  of  the  rainy  season),  and  he  brings  back  the  reign  of 
good  (the  joyful  summer-time).  The  scorpion  cast  his  venom 
upon  the  earth,  and  scattered  sickness  and  death,  etc.,  and  thus  of 
all  similar  appearances. 

This  language,  then  understood  by  all  the  world,  presented 
nothing  inconvenient ;  but,  by  the  lapse  of  time,  when  the  calendar 
had  been  regulated,  and  it  became  no  longer  necessary  for  the 
people  to  observe  the  heavens,  the  motive  that  prompted  these 
expressions  was  lost,  and  their  allegorical  sense  being  suppressed, 
their  use  became  a  stumbling-block  to  the  understanding  of  the 
people.  Habituated  to  join  symbols  to  their  models,  this  misun- 
derstanding caused  them  to  confound  them.  Then  these  same 
animals,  which  in  thought  had  been  placed  in  the  heavens,  in  fact 
returned  to  earth,  but  clothed  in  the  livery  of  the  stars,  and  im- 
posed themselves  upon  the  people,  as  possessing  the  influences 
attributed  to  them  by  their  sponsors;  and  the  people,  believing 
themselves  within  sight  and  hearing  now  of  their  gods,  readily 
addressed  to  them  their  prayers.  They  demanded  of  the  animal 
ram  an  abundance  of  the  influences  which  attended  the  appearance 
of  the  x-elestial  ram  ;  they  prayed  the  scorpion  no  more  to  scatter 
his  venom,  entailing  sickness  and  death,  upon  the  earth;  they  rev- 
erenced the  crab  of  the  sea,  the  scarabaeus  of  the  mud,  the  fishes 
of  the  river;  and,  by  a  series  of  enchanting  but  vicious  analogies, 
they  lost  themselves  in  a  labyrinth  of  consequent  absurdities. 

Here  we  behold  the  origin  of  that  antique  and  fancu'ul  worship 
of  animals,  and  how,  by  the  progress  of  ideas,  the  characteristics 
of  divinity  passing  to  the  most  vile  brutes,  was  fashioned  that 
vast,  complicated,  and  learned  theological  system  which,  beginning 
on  the  banks  of  the  Nile,  was  carried  from  country  to  country  by 
commerce,  war,  and  conquest,  and  invaded  all  the  ancient  world 
and  which,  modified  by  time,  circumstances  and  prejudices,  yet 
exhibits  itself  among  hundreds  of  peoples,  and  exists  as  the  in- 
timate and  secret  basis  of  the  theology  of  even  those  who  scorn- 
fully reject  it. 

In  the  projection  of  'he  celestial  sphere,  as  traced  by  the  as- 
L*onomer  priests  of  that  time,  the  zodiac  and  the  constellations, 
disposed  circularly,  presented  their  halves  in  diametrical  opposition. 


392  GENERAL    HISTOft/   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

The  hemisphere  of  winter  is  the  antipodes  of  that  of  summer — 
adverse,  opposed,  contrary  they  stood  toward  each  other.  From 
a  metaphorical  and  necessary,  this  position  passed  into  a  moral 
sense;  and  to  angels  were  opposed  adverse  angels,  who,  having 
revolted,  were  cast  out,  and  became  their  enemies.  In  this  manner, 
from  being  simply  an  astronomical  history,  the  account  and  repre- 
sentation of  the  constellations  came  to  be  a  political  history. 
Heaven  was  a  country  subject  to  and  wherein  events  transpired 
s  upon  the  earth.  And  as  at  that  period  monarchy  was  the  pre- 
vailing style  of  government  upon  the  earth,  a  similar  style  must 
obtain  in  the  heavens;  and  of  the  hemisphere  of  summer,  empire 
of  light,  and  heat,  and  joy,  and  peopled  with  white  angels,  it  was 
apparent  the  sun  was  king — a  brilliant,  intelligent,  and  good  crea- 
tor;  so,  opposed  to  summer  was  the  hemisphere  of  winter,  that 
underground  empire  of  darkness,  cold,  and  sadness,  peopled  with 
black  angels,  giants,  and  demons,  and  having  for  ruler  the  prince 
of  darkness,  who  was  recognized  by  the  different  peoples  by  the 
name  of  that  sign  whose  appearance  was  attended  with  most  of  evil 
among  them.  In  Egypt  this  was  from  at  first  the  scorpion,  being 
the  first  sign  of  the  zodiac  after  the  balance,  and,  for  a  long  time, 
chief  of  the  signs  of  winter.  Afterward  it  was  the  bear,  or  the 
polar  ass,  called  Typhon,  otherwise  Deluge,  by  reason  of  the  cold 
rains  which  inundated  the  earth  during  the  rule  of  this  constella- 
tion. In  Persia,  at  a  later  time,  it  was  the  serpent,  who,  under  the 
name  of  Ahrimane,  formed  the  basis  of  the  system  of  Zoroaster; 
and  it  is  this  same  serpent  who,  among  the  Jews  and  the  Chris- 
tians, tempted  Eve,  the  celestial  virgin,  and  brought  sin  into  the 
world,  as  also  the  serpent  of  the  cross,  and  which,  in  both  cases, 
is  the  emblem  of  Satan. 

6. — Hiram  of  the  Freemasons. 

The  long  history  of  Hiram,  the  architect  of  Solomon's  temple, 
which  forms  the  basis  of  the  degree  of  master  mason,  is  repre- 
sented by  most  authors,  and  in  all  the  lectures  which  prevail  in 
the  lodges  in  France  and  elsewhere,  as  a  fact,  and  not  as  an  alle- 
gorical fiction,  while  in  all  the  higher  degrees  it  is  positively  re- 
cognized as  the  former.  A  very  limited  knowledge  of  the  history 
of  primitive  worships  and  mysteries  is  necessary  to  enable  any 
person  to  recognize  in  the  master  mason  Hiram,  the  Osiris  of  the 
Egyptians,  the  Mithras  of  the  Persians,  the  Bacchus  of  the  Greeks, 
the  Atys  of  the  Phrygians,  of  which  these  people  celebrated  the 
passion,  death  and  resurrection,  as  Christians  celebrate  to-day  that 
of  Jesus  Christ.  Otherwise  this  is  the  eternal  and  unvarying  type 
of  all  the  religions  which  have  succeeded  each  other  upon  the 
earth.  In  an  astronomical  connection,'  Hiram  is  the  representative 
of  the  sun,  the  symbol  of  his  apparent  progress,  which,  appearing 
at  the  south  gate,  so  to  speak,  is  smote  downward  and  more  down. 


NOTES,  393 

ward  as  he  advances  toward  the  west,  which  passing,  he  is  imme- 
diately vanquished  and  put  to  death  by  darkness,  represented,  in 
following  the  same  allegory,  by  the  spirits  of  evil;  but,  returning, 
he  rises  again,  conqueror  and  resurrected. 

7.—  The  Angds. 

The  names  of  the  angels  and  of  the  months,  such  as  Gabriel 
and  Michael,  Yar  and  Nisan  (March  and  April),  etc.,  as  we  are 
informed  by  the  Talmud,  were  brought  from  Ribylon  by  the  Jews. 
Beausobre.  in  his  History  of  the  Manicheans,  (vol.  2,  p.  624,) 
proves  that  the  saints  of  the  calendar  are  imitations  of  the  three 
hundred  and  sixty-five  angels  of  the  Persians;  and  Jambiicus,  in 
his  Ejyptian Mysteries,  (sec.  2,  chap.  3,)  speaks  of  the  angels,  arch- 
angels, and  seraphims,  etc.,  like  a  true  Christian  Catholic. 

8. —  The  majestic  Monuments  of  the  Hindoos. 

The  most  celebrated  Hindoo  temples,  cut  in  the  bosom  of  the 
solid  rocks,  are  to  be  seen  in  the  vicinity  of  Bombay  and  in  the 
island  of  Ceylon.  That  of  Elora  is  considered  the  most  curious. 
No  one  can  regard  without  astonishment  a  whole  mountain  of  por- 
phyry, covering  nearly  six  miles  of  superficial  measurement,  con- 
verted into  a  mysterious  succession  of  halls,  chambers,  anticham- 
bers,  vestibules,  courts,  saloons,  etc.  In  the  midst  of  these  apart- 
ments is  the  great  temple  of  Elora,  a  single  apartment  of  five 
hundred  feet  in  circumference,  hollowed  out  of  the  solid  granite. 
Its  side  galleries  are  supported  by  sculptured  pillars  ;  its  walls  are 
polished,  and  cut  into  which  are  forty-four  niches  extending  from 
floor  to  dome,  and  in  which  stand  forty-four  gigantic  statues  of 
Hindoo  divinities.  But  the  monument  of  all  others  the  most  pro- 
digious in  Hindostan  is  the  temple  of  Kailaca,  cut  in  the  solid 
rock,  and  without  roof  or  dome,  cut  open  to  the  heavens.  In  the 
vicinity  of  this  temple  there  are  ten  or  a  dozen  similar  but  much 
smaller  sanctuaries.  At  Dhoumar,  in  the  province  of  Malva,  may 
be  counted  seventy  of  these  temples,  the  circuit  of  which  compose 
what  may  be  called  a  troglodyte  city.  Upon  the  coast  of  Coro- 
mandel,  not  far  from  Madras,  there  are  a  series  of  labors  of  the 
same  kind  not  less  remarkable. 

9.—  Blmdda,  (Bood,  Boudd) 

This  is  the  name  that  the  Hindoos  have  given  to  the  seven  re- 
ligious legislators  who  have  successively  revived  and  reformed  the 
laws  and  doctrines  of  their  first  civilizer  of  this  name,  and  of  whose 
existence  there  remains  no  account,  except  in  the  traditions  of  fab- 
ulous time.  Of  these  seven  reformers  the  four  last  alone  are  known 


394  GENERAL    HISTORY   OF    FREEMASONRY. 

by  tlieir  doctrines,  which  are  contained  in  the  sacred  books  of  the 
Brahmins,  called  Vedas,  or  Vedam.  These  are  Bhudda-Shauca- 
sam,  whose  doctrine  is  found  in  the  Bhagavat-Ghita,  and  who  lived 
between  the  years  3200  and  3100  B.  C.  Bhudda  Gouagoui, 
who  appeared  1366  years  B.  C.  Bhudda-Gaspa,  who  appeared 
1027  years  B.  C.  ;  and  Bhudda-Somana-Gautama,  who  lived  557 
years  B.  C.  A  final  Bhudda  is  to  appear  five  thousand  years  after 
the  death  of  the  last  named. 

All  these  reformers  are  considered  by  the  Brahmins  to  have 
been  incarnations  of  the  Supreme  Being,  and  as  such  they  are 
adored  by  eastern  people  under  different  names.  Among  the 
Chinese,  for  example,  Bhudda  becomes  Fot  and  Fota.  that  people 
having  neither  b  nor  d  in  their  language. 

10. — The  Magi. 

The  Asiatic  rendering  of  this  word  signifies  consecrated  man,  a 
man  devoted  to  the  worship  of  God,  exactly  as  the  Hebrew  Naza- 
rene  or  Hindoo  Samaneen ;  consequently  the  word  magic  originally 
signified  the  practice  of  worship,  and  magi  those  who  devoted 
themselves  to  science  and  worship. 

11.—  Temple  of  Bel,  or  Tower  of  Balel. 

By  consent  of  the  best  authors  and  the  geography  of  Strabo 
and  Berose,  there  existed  a  Babel  or  Babylon — that  is  to  say,  a 
palace  or  temple — consecrated  to  (the  sun)  Bel,  titulary  god  of  this 
country,  from  whom  it  received  its  name  of  Babylonia,  and  whose 
temple,  according  to  ancient  Asiatic  usage,  was  the  rallying  point, 
the  goal  of  pilgrimage,  the  metropolis  of  all  the  people  who  sub- 
mitted to  his  laws;  and,  at  the  same  time,  this  temple  was  the 
asylum,  the  fortress  of  the  priests,  the  astronomical  studio  of  this 
astrological  judiciary,  who  were  celebrated  and  who  rendered  famous 
the  name  of  Chaldean  in  far-distant  ages  of  the  past. 

According  to  Philo,  the  Phcnician,  as  cited  by  Josophus,  the 
foundation  of  this  temple,  or  tower  of  Babel  (Belus),  was  laid 
between  the  years  3195  and  3190  B.  C.  The  oriental  name  of 
Babel  for  Babylonia  signifies  a  court;  and  there  existed  from  that 
time  a  primitive  court  or  palace,  which  that  wonderful  woman, 
Semiramis,  surrounded  with  her  vast  constructions  when  she  con- 
ceived the  project  of  building  a  great  commercial  and  military 
city,  even  that  Babylon  which  she  surrounded  with  immense  walls 
and  fortifications,  and  which  she  ornamented  with  castles,  palaces, 
temples,  and  bridges,  and  in  the  midst  of  which  caused  to  be 
erected  for  the  priests  that  famous  tower  or  pyramid  called  the 
Tower  of  Babel. 

This  opinion  is  supported  by  Ktesias,  who,  in  speaking  on  this 


NOTES  395 

subject,  says:  "When  Ninus  attacked  Babylonia,  the  city  of  Bab- 
ylon, which  at  present  exists,  was  not  then  built."  The  same  his- 
torian states  "  that  Seniiramis,  inspired  by  her  love  of  grandeur, 
and  desirous  of  surpassing  the  glory  of  the  kings  who  preceded 
her,  conceived,  between  the  years  1195  and  1180  B.  C.,  the 
project  of  building  in  Babylonia  an  extraordinary  city.  For  this 
purpose  she  gathered  from  all  parts  a  multitude  of  architects  and 
artists  of  all  kinds,  and  she  provided  great  sums  of  money  and  all 
the  necessary  materials;  then,  having  made  in  the  extent  of  her 
empire  a  levy  of  two  millions  of  men,  she  employed  them  to  form 
the  surroundings  of  the  city  by  constructing  a  wall  of  three 
hundred  and  sixty  stadia  (about  twenty  miles)  in  length,  flanked 
with  many  towers,  and  leaving  the  river  Euphrates  to  flow  through 
the  midst  of  the  inclosure. 

This  assemblage  of  men,  levied  under  the  laws  of  statute  labor, 
of  divers  colors,  clothing,  habits,  worships,  and  language,  presented 
a  strange  spectacle.  More  than  eighty  dialects  were  spoken  in  the 
vast  empire  of  Seniiramis ;  and  the  assembling  of  bodies  of  men, 
each  of  whom  spoke  one  of  these  dialects,  naturally  engendered 
that  confusion  which,  when  these  men  came  to  close  quarters  in 
the  building  of  the  tower,  naturally  might  and  probably  did  in- 
crease to  a  degree  most  inconvenient,  and  hence  the  real  source 
of  the  vicious  origin  the  Jews  have  given  to  the  word  Babel,  or 
Babylon. 

In  the  account  which  Herodotus  gives  of  the  war  of  Kyrus 
against  Babylon,  he  says:  "But  after  the  subversion  of  Nineveh 
shie  became  the  capital  of  Assyria."  And  then,  from  ocular  evi- 
dence, he  describes  this  immense  city,  the  extent  and  dimensions 
of  its  walls  and  fortifications,  the  direction  of  its  streets,  the  palace 
of  the  king,  and  the  great  temple  of  Bel;  and,  in  describing  the 
latter,  he  says:  "The  center  of  the  city  is  remarkable  for  the 
temple  of  Jupiter  Belus,  which  actually  yet  exists.  (Herodotus 
wrote  480  years  B.  C.)  It  is  square,  regularly  built,  and  its  court 
is  fastened  by  gates  of  brass.  Each  square  of  the  inclosure  is  two 
stadia  in  length  (about  two  hundred  yards).  In  the  middle  of 
this  inclosure  is  to  be  seen  a  massive  tower,  one  stadium  on  each 
square  of  its  base,  and  one  stadium  in  height."  Thus,  then,  the 
temple  of  Belus  in  Babylon  was  a  strong  place,  a  sort  of  citadel, 
resembling  the  temple  of  the  sun  at  Balbek,  and  most  of  the  other 
temples  of  the  ancients,  who,  for  the  better  security  of  the  priests 
and  the  sacred  treasures  which  had  been  gathered  within  their 
temples,  protected  them  by  high  and  strong  outer  walls.  "  Upon 
this  tower,''  continues  Herodotus,  "there  is  erected  a  second,  upon 
the  second  a  third,  and  others  above  that  to  the  number  in  all 
of  eight,  each  being  proportionately  smaller  in  its  dimensions  than 
the  other,  and  giving  to  all  the  appearance,  when  viewed  from  a 
distance,  of  a  pyramid.  In  the  highest  of  these  towers  is  a  chapel  j 


396  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF    FREEMASONRY. 

in  this  chapel  a  great  bed,  well  furnished;  and  near  this  bed  a  table, 
the  surface  of  which  is  gold."  What  was  the  object  of  this  singu- 
lar edifice?  What  could  it  be  but  an  astronomical  observatory? 
This  chapel,  in  the  highest  tower,  elevated  to  a  height  of  nearly  fif- 
teen hundred  feet  above  the  surface  of  the  earth,  served  the  astron- 
omer priests  as  a  look-out  from  which  to  observe  the  solar  system, 
and  to  learn  exactly  the  movements  of  the  heavenly  bodies.  The 
golden  table,  upon  which  was  no  doubt  traced  a  map  of  the  solar 
system,  enabled  them  to  direct  their  studies,  and  the  well-furnished 
bed  served  for  repose  when  wearied  by  observation  and  close  appli- 
cation of  mind.  No  other  furniture  was  necessary,  and  no  other 
was  there.  Astronomy  was  the  important  mystery  which  they 
guarded  with  jealous  care,  since  it  was  the  basis  of  that  theocratic, 
religious,  and  political  power  which  enabled  the  priests,  by  predic- 
tions of  eclipses  and  other  solar  actions,  to  astonish  both  kings  and 
people,  and  lead  them  to  believe  that  they  held  immediate  com- 
munication with  the  gods. 

Behold,  then,  what  was  the  object  of  that  famous  tower  of 
Babel,  the  hearthstone  of  that  Chaldean  science  vaunted  by  the 
most  ancient  Greeks  as  being,  even  in  their  time,  very  ancient. 
And  yet  this  grand  and  simple  monument,  as  described  by  the 
perverted  historians  of  the  Jews,  has  given  birth  in  modern  times, 
as  well  as  in  what  we  call  ancient,  to  the  most  singular,  extra- 
ordinary, and  grossly-stupid  accounts  of  its  origin  and  of  its 
object. 

12. — Ecbatana,  Babylon,  Persepolis. 

Of  the  immense  citadel  of  the  palace  of  the  king  of  the  Modes, 
Ecbatana,  which  was  seven  hundred  yards  in  outer  extent,  noth- 
ing remains  but  rubbish,  in  vast  quantities,  to  indicate  palace,  cit- 
adel, or  capital  of  the  Median  people;  while  an  enormous  quantity 
of  ruins,  heaped  about  in  the  most  frightful  confusion,  mark  to- 
day the  spot  where  Babylon,  the  city  of  palaces,  once  stood. 
Ranks  of  columns,  separated  by  ravines,  mark  the  streets;  while 
masses  of  rubbish  show  where  once  stood  the  grandest  edifices. 
In  the  plain  where  once  stood  the  city  of  Persepolis,  and  which 
extended  behind  Tschil-Minar,  nothing  remain  to  mark  the  great- 
est architectural  conceptions  of  any  age,  but  ruins  of  column  and 
wall,  pillar  and  porch,  heaped  in  undistinguishable  confusion.  The 
most  important  ruins  are  upon  the  terraces  of  the  mountain  of 
Kachmed,  upon  the  locality  where  stood  the  palace  of  the  kings 
of  Persia,  and  upon  the  flank  of  that  mountain  there  appear  many 
funereal  monuments  of  the  Persian  kings,  such  as  that  of  Darius, 
son  of  Hystaspe,  and  of  Xerxes.  Under  the  terraces  which  sup- 
port the  palace  of  Persepolis,  there  extend  vast  subterranean  pas- 
sages, of  which  it  is  impossible  to  verify  the  destination,  purpose, 
or  extent,  but  which,  in  the  opinion  of  the  Arabs,  conducted  to 


NOTES.  397 

the  mountain  of  sepulture,  nearly  six  leagues  distant,  and  in 
which  may  be  found  the  four  royal  tombs,  cut  in  the  rock  to  the 
height  of  one  hundred  feet,  and  which  are  believed  to  be  those 
of  Darius  Nothus,  Artaxerxes  I.  Ochus,  and  Artaxerxes  II,  or 
Meninou. 

13. — The   Caves  or  Retreats  of  Mithra. 

Zoroaster,  according  to  Justinius,  composed  in  the  cave  or  grotto 
of  Mithra,  which  he  inhabited  for  twenty  years,  a  great  armillary 
sphere  to  aid  him  in  the  study  of  the  heavenly  bodies.  Accord- 
ing to  Celsus,  it  was  after  this  model  that  the  Persians,  in  the 
ceremonies  of  Mithra,  represented  the  double  movement  of  the 
fixed  stars  and  the  planets,  with  the  passage  of  the  soul  in  the 
celestial  circles  or  spheres.  To  describe  the  properties  or  attri- 
butes of  the  planets,  they  exhibited  a  scale  or  ladder  composed 
of  seven  steps,  or  stages,  with  an  eighth  at  the  upper  extremity. 
The  first  step  was  composed  of  lead,  and  indicated  Saturn  ;  the 
second,  of  tin,  denoted  Venus  ;  the  third,  of  copper,  denoted  Ju- 
piter; the  fourth,  of  iron,  denoted  Mars;  the  fifth,  of  divers  metals, 
denoted  Mercury ;  the  sixth,  of  silver,  denoted  the  moon ;  the 
seventh,  of  gold,  denoted  the  sun,  then  the  highest  heaven. 
Without  doubt  this  was  the  ladder  of  Jacob's  dream,  and  upon 
which  he  saw  angels  ascending  and  descending  ;  and  yet  all  these 
Egyptian  and  Chaldean  ideas  and  allegories  existed  centuries  be- 
fore Abraham,  Isaac,  or  Jacob.  From  thence  comes  the  custom 
of  consecrating  caves  to  the  celebration  of  the  mysteries,  a  custom 
that  we  find  among  the  Christians  of  the  first  centuries  ;' and  from 
thence  have  Plato  and  Pythagoras  designated  the  world  as  a  cave 
or  cavern. 

In  the  mysteries  of  the  ceremonies  of  Mithra,  as  they  subse- 
quently became  developed,  we  find  all  the  principal  ceremonies 
observed  in  administering  the  rites  and  sacraments  of  the  Chris- 
tian church,  even  to  the  slap  on  the  ear  given  by  the  bishop  in 
"confirmation."  The  priests  of  Mithra  promised  their  initiates, 
through  confession  and  baptism,  remission  of  their  sins,  and  a 
life  of  happiness  and  delight  instead  of  pain  and  torment.  They 
also  celebrated  the  oblation  of  bread,  the  image  of  the  resurrec- 
tion ;  and,  finally,  their  baptism  of  infants,  application  of  extreme 
unction,  confession  of  sins,  celebration  of  the  mass  (the  mysteries), 
and  many  other  practices  analogous  to  those  of  the  Christian  re 
ligion,  all  proving  that  what  we  have  to-day  as  religious  ceremo- 
nies are  but  the  modified  prolongation  of  religious  opinions  and 
practices  which  prevailed  centuries  before  our  era. 

14. — In  the  throat  of  a  Bull. 

This  is  the  bull  of  the  zodiac,  which  sometimes,  by  the  preces- 
sion of  the  equinoxes,  has  occupied  the  place  of  the  ram.  This 


898  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

is  the  bull  that  we  find  represented  in  India  as  opening  an  egg 
with  his  horn,  and  who  already  had  opened  the  age  of  creation, 
that  is,  the  vernal  equinox.  This  is  the  bull  Apis,  adored  by  the 
Egyptians,  as  subsequently  the  Israelites  adored  the  golden  calf. 
The  bull  or  ox  of  the  Apocalypse,  with  his  wings,  symbolic  of  his 
celestial  nature,  has  a  similar  origin;  while  the  lamb  of  God,  im- 
molated as  the  bull  of  Mithra,  for  the  salvation  of  the  world,  is 
nothing  more  than  an  emblem  of  the  sun  in  the  sign  of  the  celes- 
tial ram,  which  in  an  after  age  opened,  in  his  turn,  the  vernal 
equinox,  and  was  moved  to  deliver  the  world  from  the  reign  of 
evil  enjoyed  by  the  serpent  or  great  adder,  mother  of  winter  and 
emblem  of  Ahrimane,  the  evil  spirit  or  Satan  of  the  Persians.  It 
will  be  observed  that  the  contemporaneous  worship  of  the  sign 
Taurus  by  the  Egyptians,  Persians  and  Japanese,  indicates  a  com- 
munion of  ideas  among  these  peoples  at  this  time  ;  and  of  this 
worship  there  has  descended  to  us  nothing  but  the  May  festival 
of  the  fat  ox,  crowned  with  flowers. 

15. — Zoroaster. 

The  religious  legislator  called  Zoroaster  by  the  Greeks,  and 
Zerdast  or  Zerdust  by  the  Orientals,  was  born,  according  to  He- 
rodotus, about  1250,  and  according  to  other  authors  between  1400 
and  1300  B.  C.,  in  Aderbijan  (ancient  Media).  He  commenced 
to  promulgate  his  doctrine  at  Bactria,  the  capital  of  the  kingdom 
of  the  Bactrians,  about  the  year  1220  B.  C.,  after  a  "retreat," 
according  to  Pliny,  of  twenty  years'  duration.  He  propagated  a 
new  system  of  theology,  which  he  pretended,  according  to  the 
custom  of  the  time  among  men  of  his  profession,  to  be  the  only 
true  theology,  and  revealed  of  God.  Zoroaster,  according  to  the 
recital  of  the  Parsees,  perished  with  many  of  the  magi,  in  the 
last  battle  fought  at  Ninus  by  the  king  Keshtasy,  one  of  his 
numerous  disciples,  who  wished  to  convert  his  subjects  and  the 
neighboring  kings. 

According  to  Anquetil  Duperron,  the  principal  collection  of  the 
traditions  of  the  Parsees  concerning  Zoroaster  is  the  book  entitled 
Zerdust-Narnah,  which,  they  say,  was  translated  from  the  ancient 
Pehlevic  idiom  into  the  modern  Persian  by  Zerdust-Behram,  scribe 
and  Persian  priest,  about  the  year  1176  of  our  era. 

Theodore  of  Mopsuestus,  in  his  work  concerning  the  magi  of 
Persia,  explains  the  doctrine  of  Zoroaster  in  the  following  remark- 
able passage  :  "  He  is  one  of  those  who  believes  in  the  existence 
of  two  gods — one  good,  the  other  evil.  He  names  them  Orom  ize 
and  Ahrimane,  and  has  said  that  one  is  best  represented  by  light, 
and  the  other  by  darkness.  The  Persians  maintained  that  Oro- 
maze  was  formed  from  light  the  most  pure,  and  Ahrimane  from 
darkness  the  most  obscure  Oroinaze  made  six  other  good  gods 


NOTES.  399 

like  himself,  and  Ahrimane  six  wicked  ones  like  himself.  Oro- 
maze  then  made  twenty-four  gods,  which  he  placed  in  an  egg  ; 
but  Ahrimane,  after  making  twenty-four  evil  gods,  broke  the  egg, 
and  thus  caused  that  blending  of  good  and  evil  which  exists  in 
the  world. 

Thenpompus  believes,  in  accordance  with  the  magii  books,  that 
one  of  these  gods  ruled  three  thousand  years,  during  which  the 
other  is  deposed  ;  the  succeeding  three  thousand  years  they  fight 
and  reign  equally  ;  but  finally  the  evil  one  has  to  succumb,  and 
is  forever  destroyed. 

In  reducing  these  allegories  to  their  natural  and  simple  sense, 
it  is  apparent  that  Zoroaster,  after  his  physico-astronomical  med- 
itations, considered  the  world,  or  the  universe,  governed  by  two 
principles  or  powers — the  one  of  production,  the  other  of  destruc- 
tion;  that  the  first  governed  during  the  six  thousand  parts,  or  six 
months  of  summer,  or  from  the  vernal  equinox  to  that  of  Libra, 
and  the  second  during  the  six  thousand  parts  or  six  months  of 
winter,  or  from  Libra  to  Aries.  This  division  of  each  sign  of  the 
zodiac  into  a  thousand  parts  is  found  among  the  Chaldeans;  and 
Anquetil,  who  has  happily  explained  the  allegory,  speaks,  in  more 
than  one  place,  of  the  twelve  thousand  of  Zoroaster  as  of  the 
twelve  months  of  the  year. 

The  egg  is,  as  is  well  known,  the  emblem  of  the  world  among 
the  Egyptians;  the  twenty-four  gods  are  the  twelve  months  divided 
into  qitinzaineS)  or  fortnights — the  one  of  increase,  the  other  of 
decrease — a  usage  that  is  found  among  the  Hindoos  as  also  among 
the  Romms,  and  the  result  is  that  the  whole  system  of  Zoroaster 
was  nothing  but  a  system  of  astronomy  and  astrology,  like  all 
other  ancient  systems  ;  and  that  its  disciples,  notwithstanding  this 
fact,  received  and  applied  this  system,  especially  among  the  Jews, 
for  moral  and  political  purposes,  and  this  application  led  to  the  most 
singular  consequences,  and  resulted  in  a.  system  entirely  new. 

16.— Zend-Avesta. 

This  sacred  book  of  the  Persians  was  mostly  written  in  immense 
and  v.ery  complicated  characters,  and  covered  twelve  thousand 
skins  of  parchment,  manufactured  from  the  hides  of  oxen. 

17. —  The  Temple  of  Amman. 

The  construction  of  this  celebrated  temple,  according  to  Herod- 
otus, took  place  between  the  years  240U  and  2300  B.  C.,  and  its 
ruins  may  be  found  in  the  oasis  of  the  Lybian  desert.  Alexander 
the  Great  visited  this  templf ,  and  caused  himself  to  be  proclaimed, 
by  its  oracle,  son  of  Jupiter  Meiuuou. 


400  GENERAL  HISTORY  OF   FREEMASONRY. 

18. — Ethiopia,  then  a  powerful  State. 

Daring  many  centuries  Egypt  was  governed  by  the  Ethiopian 
sacerdotal  caste,  of  Arab  origin,  which  was  replaced  by  the  caste 
of  warriors.  This  revolution  was  brought  about  by  Menes  I, 
king  of  the  first  Pharaonic  dynasty,  and  took  place,  according  to 
some  authors,  nearly  6000  years  B.  C.  Menes  is  said  to  have 
built  ancient  Thebes,  then  the  capital  of  the  country. 

In  the  earliest  known  times  Egypt  consisted  but  of  the  Theban 
country.  At  that  time  Middle  Egypt  and  the  Delta  composed  a 
V-trt  of  the  Mediterranean  gulf.  The  Nile,  carrying  in  its  over- 
Hows  an  enormous  quantity  of  mud,  in  time  filled  up  that  portion 
of  the  gulf  into  which  it  emptied,  and  eventually  created  an  im- 
mense tract  of  swampy  land,  which,  by  the  aid  of  man,  seconded 
by  nature,  was  drained,  and  formed  what  then  became  known  as 
Middle  Egypt,  or  Heptanomis,  and  Lower  Egypt  or  the  Delta. 

19. — Egypt  in  Civilization. 

The  chronology  of  Egyptian  history,  according  to  Diodorus, 
Manethon,  and  Herodotus,  the  last  of  whom  visited  Egypt  460 
years  B.  C.,  is  as  follows  : 

B.  C.  13300.— From  this  date  until  the  year  4600  B.  C.,  when 
the  zodiac  was  constructed  and  set  up  in  the  temple  of  Esueh, 
there  occurred  four  periods,  to  the  first  of  which  is  ascribed  the 
reign  of  the  gods,  to  the  second  the  first  historic  period,  during 
which  Egypt  was  inhabited  by  a  barbarous  people,  and  was  con- 
fined to  the  Theban  country,  or  Upper  Egypt  ;  to  the  third,  the 
second  historic  period,  during  which  began  to  be  formed  the  states 
and  kingdoms,  of  which  there  were  thirty,  forty,  or  more,  and  the 
colleges  of  the  priests  were  established  ;  and  to  the  fourth,  the 
third  historic  period,  when  the  different  states  were  consolidated 
into  three  large  kingdoms,  comprising  Upper  Egypt,  or  the  Theban 
country,  Middle  Egypt,  or  Heptanomis,  and  Lower  Egypt,  or  the 
Delta.  To  this  latter  period  belongs  the  construction  of  the 
temple  of  E.sneh,  arid  the  establishment  of  the  worship  of  the  bull 
Aphis,  symbolical  of  Taurus  or  the  sun,  which  at  this  time  began 
to  mark  the  vernal  equinox.  Subsequent  to  this  period  there 
reigned  a  series  of  unknown  kings,  eighteen  of  them  being  Egyp- 
tians. 

B.  C.  3360. — Hermes,  priest  king,  observes  the  star  Aldebnran. 

B.  C.  2454. — The  sun  enters  the  ram,1  and  from  this  date  Aries 

1  By  the  precession  of  the  equinoxes,  allowing  71  years  for  each  degree 
and  53  seconds  for  each  year,  it  is  estimated  that  2130  years  are  required 
for  the  sun  to  pass  through  a  zoliacal  sign.  Thus,  in  the  year  4">86  13.  C., 
that  body  having  entered  Taurus,  it  was  not  until  the  year  24f>5  that  he 
p.tsssd  through  that  sign,  and  entered  Aries  in  24-34.  From  that  time  until 
the  year  o23  13.  C.,  the  latter  sign  marked  the  vernal  equinox. 


NOTES.  401 

becomes  the  constellation  of  the  vernal  equinox,  and  the  worship 
of  the  ram  begins. 

B.  C.  2400. — Foundation  of  the  temple  of  Ammon  in  the  desert 
of  Lybia. 

B.  C.  2400  to  2300. — Construction  of  the  monuments  of  Karnak 
and  the  avenue  of  the  Rams. 

B.  C.  2056. — Construction  of  the  zodiac  of  Denderah. 

B.  C.  1810. — Invasion  of  the  kingdom  of  Memphis  (Middle 
Egypt)  by  the  pastoral  Arabs,  presumed  to  be  the  tribes  of  Tainoud, 
Mutlun,  Aumlek,  etc. 

B.  C.  1800. — The  pastoral  Arabs  found  Heliopolis. 

B.  C.  1556. — Tethmos  expels  the  Arabs. 

B.  C.  1500. — Foundation  of  the  new  Memphis. 

B.  C.  1450. — Re-union  of  all  Egypt  under  one  monarchy. 

B.  C.  1430. — Construction  of  Lake  Moeris. 

B.  C.  1420. — Construction  of  the  cities  of  Ramasses  and  He- 
roopolis,  by  the  Hebrews. 

B.  C.  1410. — Under  the  king  Amenophis  the  Hebrews  are  driven 
out  of  Egypt,  and,  under  the  direction  of  Moses,  whom  they  elect 
as  their  chief,  they  are  organized  into  a  cation. 

B.  C.  1390  to  1350. — Reign  and  conquests  of  Sesostris. 

B.  C.  1080. — Ramsinite  orders  the  construction  of  the  great 
obelisk  at  Heliopoiis.  • 

B.  C.  974. — Ses:ich,  king  of  Egypt,  ransoms  Jerusalem. 

B.  C.  790. — During  the  past  two  hundred  years  a  succession  of 
obscure  kings  governed  Egypt,  and  their  reign  ends  with  the 
capture  of  Thebes  by  the  Carthaginian's. 

B.  C.  750. — Seva,  the  Kushite,  or  Ethiopian,  invaded  Egypt,  and 
reigned  with  justice  and  wisdom  for  nearly  twenty-five  years. 

B.  C.  722. — Sethon,  priest  of  the  temple  of  Vulcan,  governs 
Egypt,  now  fallen  into  anarchy. 

.Between  Meues  and  Sethon  three  hundred  and  forty-one  kings 
in  succession  governed  Egypt.  After  him  a  series  of  kings  ruled 
whose  names  are  all  known. 

20. — Pyramids  of  Ghizza. 

"  During  twenty  years,"  says  Herodotus,  "  one  hundred  thousand 
men  worked  daily  to  build  the  great  pyramid  or  tomb  of  the  king 
Cheops,  who,  like  all  Egyptians,  attached  much  importance  to  the 
construction  of  his  eternal  home."  The  eight  pyramids  which 
surround  ancient  Memphis,  the  principal  seat  of  the  mysteries  of 
Isis  and  Osiris,  communicated  with  the  twelve  temples  which  are 
found  in  this  vast  city.  Of  this  group  of  pyramids,  three  are 
particularly  distinguished,  which  arc  the  largest  in  Egypt  as  they 
were  the  last  which  were  constructed.  At  Meroe,  the  ancient 
seat  of  the  priests  of  Egypt,  are  to  be  seen  a  group  of  twenty- 
four  pyramids,  the  magnificence  and  imposing  simplicity  of  which 
26 


402  GENERAL   HISTORY  OF  FREEMASONRY. 

exhibit  a  degree  of  elegance  very  superior  to  the  pyramids  of 
Ghizza.  In  Ethiopia,  at  Nouri,  may  be  seen  a  group  of  thirty-five 
pyramids;  at  Dhibbel-el-Barkal,  capital  of  Ethiopia,  another  group 
of  seventeen  •  and  at  Dhel-Bellal,  the  remains  of  a  group  of  forty 
pyramids. 

21. — Hermes. 

The  Egyptian  priests  inform  us  that  Hermes,  in  dying,  said : 
4  Until  now  I  have  been  exiled  from  my  true  country,  to  which  I 
am  about  to  return.  Shed  no  tears  for  me.  I  return  to  that 
celestial  country  whither  all  must  repair  in  their  turn.  There  is 
God.  This  life  is  but  a  death."  (See  Chalcidius  in  Tiuiaeum.) 
Now  this  doctrine  is  precisely  that  of  the  ancient  Bhuddists  or 
Samaneens,  who  balieved  that  at  certain  periods  impersonations 
of  deity  would  be  sent  to  earth  to  reform  man,  withdraw  him 
from  vice,  and  teach  him  the  way  of  salvation.  With  such  a 
dogma  spread  over  India,  Egypt,  Persia,  and  Judea,  we  can  easily 
perceive  how  readily  its  believers  could  accredit  the  appearance 
of  such  an  impersonation  did  he  appear  at  the  proper  time. 

.22.— Sylils. 

This  was  the  ancient  name  signifying  prophetess,  given  by  the 
Greeks  and  Romans  to  those  women  to  whom  were  attributed 
knowledge  of  the  future  and  divine  inspiration.  Many  temples 
had  their  sybil  or  oracle  ;  for,  wherever  the  priests  had  established 
their  colleges,  they  found  it  necessary  to  engage  these  persons,  to 
strengthen  their  power  and  augment  their  influence  among  the 
people.  The  vital  or  physical  force  to  which  we  give  the  name 
of  animal  magnetism  was  better  known  to  the  magi  priests  of 
Chaldea  and  Egypt  than  it  is  at  present  among  us.  It  was  to  the 
study  and  application  of  this  occult  science  to  which  the  priests 
owed  much  of  their  great  reputation ;  for  they  enriched  their 
astronomical  knowledge  with  the  addition  of  botanical,  medical, 
chemical,  and  anatomical  knowledge,  from  the  revelations  made  to 
them  by  their  sybils. 

The  Essenian  priests,  who  were  intimately  connected  with  an- 
other sect,  called  Therapeutes,  resident  in  Egypt,  and  who  formed 
the  connecting  link  between  the  Egyptians  and  the  Hebrews,  as 
the  Essenians  continued  the  affiliation  between  the  Jews  and  the 
Christians,  without  doubt  initiated  Jesus  Christ,  who  was  educated 
by  them,  into  this  sublime  science,  and  thus  can  we  explain  how 
he  wrought  many  of  the  miracles  attributed  to  him  in  the  Scrip- 
tures. 

The  sybils  of  antiquity  who  were  most  celebrated  were  those  of 
Ionia  and  Italy.  It  is  said  that  this  last,  to  whom  are  given 
different  names,  came  to  Rome  in  the  reign  of  Tarquin  the  elder, 
and  sold  him  the  books  (Sybilline  leaves),  in  which  were  written 


NOTES.  403 

(he  future  of  Rome  and  that  he  deposited  them  in  the  capitol, 
confiding  their  care  to  two  priests  named  Duumvirs,  whose  number 
was  subsequently  increased  to  fifteen.  Therein  were  found,  it  is 
said,  some  very  useful  revelations.  The  Sybilline  leaves  were 
destroyed  at  the  burning  of  the  capitol,  which  took  place  in  the 
time  of  Scylla.  The  senate,  immediately  upon  the  loss  becoming 
known,  sent  into  the  cities  of  Italy  and  Greece  to  gather  up  such 
of  the  predictions  of  the  Sybils  as  could  be  found,  for  the  purpose 
o-f  making  a  new  collection  ;  but  this  afforded  an  opportunity  to 
fabricate  many,  and  from  that  cause  the  Sybilline  books  fell  into 
disrepute.  The  last  collection  was  burnt  in  the  year  399,  by 
Btilicon.  eneral  of  the  Arcadians. 


23.—  The  Avenues  of  Tlube*. 

At  Karnak,  a  village  that  is  built  upon  the  west  bank  of  the 
Nile,  may  be  seen  the  most  imposing  monuments  at  present  extant, 
where  once  stood  ancient  Thebes.  The  approach  to  these  monu- 
ments, in  coming  from  Luxor,  is  announced  by  the  remains  of  a 
flagstone  pavement  which  unite  the  edifices  of  Karnak  with  those 
of  Luxor.  This  avenue,  more  than  a  mile  long,  was  once  deco- 
rated, on  the  right  hand  and  on  the  left,  with  one  thousand  two 
hundred  sphinxes  and  six  hundred  rams,  cut  in  granite,  and  con- 
ducted to  a  magnificent  temple,  from  which  two  other  ranks  of 
sphinxes  reached  to  the  greater  and  lesser  temples  at  the  south, 
the  ceilings  of  which  were  supported  by  some  hundreds  of  columns, 
seventy  feet  in  height. 

24.  —  Subterranean  Cities. 

In  ancient  Egypt  there  were  entire  cities  under  ground  which 
have  been  discovered  during  the  past  centuries,  und  accounts  of 
them  imparted  to  us.  A  chain  of  limestone  which  borders  the 
Nile,  protected  the  works  of  these  subterranean  cities,  and  the 
tumulary  marvels  hidden  in  the  necropoli  of  Thebes  and  Memphis 
equal  the  sunlit  masterpieces  of  Egyptian  art  which  rest  upon  the 
banks  of  that  river. 

The  underground  passage  of  the  great  pyramid,  not  far  from 
Memphis,  communicates  with  immense  inclosures,  wherein  may  be 
found  delicious  gardens,  where  priests  and  priestesses  reside  with 
their  families,  including  all  the  population  necessary  for  the  service 
of  the  mysteries.  These  subterranean  residences  and  their  sur- 
roundings, which  are  nearly  six  miles  in  circumference,  communicate 
with  the  seven  other  pyramids  and  the  twelve  temples  which  cu- 
viron  the  city. 

25.  —  Jehovah. 

This  word,  as  here  spelled,  is  unknown  to  any  Asiatic  Jew  or 
aboriginal  Arab.  Its  origin  even  amc  ig  Europeans,  who  have 


404  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

sanctified  it,  is  neither  clfiar  nor  authentic.  When  transcribed 
into  the  letters  of  the  Arab  alphabet,  the  sound  of  the  four  letters 
which  express  the  name  is  ialiouah,  or  ya-ho-wa-hoh.  Doctor 
Robert  Walton,  one  of  the  most  learned  and  rational  biblists  who 
has  written  upon  this  mutter,  expressly  objects  to  the  pronunciation 
Jehovah,  as  unknown  to  the  ancients.  He  states  that  ':the  editors 
of  the  Bible  have  had  the  audacity  to  falsify  even  the  manuscripts 
in  this  particular;  as,  for  instance,  in  the  eighth  Psalm,  when 
Jeremiah  says  that  he  will  read  the  name  of  the  Lord  in  a  certain 
manner,  the  editors  have  put  the  word  Jehovah,  when  the  manu- 
script obliges  Frobenius  to  give  the  word  Jao" 

It  appears  that  it  was  the  German  theologians,  the  first  disciples 
of  the  Rabbins,  who  gave  involuntary  place  to  this  reading,  by 
their  j  and  u. 

The  Greek,  Philo,  translator  of  the  Phenician,  Sanchoniathon, 
concurs  with  Diodorus  of  Sicily,  Strabo,  and  other  authorities, 
when  he  says  that  the  god  of  the  Hebrews  was  called  Jeuo,  as  we 
learn  from  Eusebius,  in  his  "Evangelical  Preparation."  It  is 
evident,  then,  that  the  Hebrews  never  knew  this  pretended  name,  so 
emphatically  styled  Jehovah  by  our  poets  and  theologians  ;  and  they 
have  to  pronounce  it  as  the  Arabs  of  to  day,  iehouh,  signifying  to 
be,  the  essence,  existence,  the  principle  of  lite.  Their  word  jehouh, 
therefore,  is  equivalent  to  our  paraphrase  Him  who  is  himself,  the 
Existing  Being. 

If  the  word  jehouh  had  been  deprived,  according  to  the  genius  of 
the  Greek  language,  of  the  two  h  letters,  it  would  have  remained 
jou,  base  of  you-piter,  or  jou-pater  (jou,  generator,  essence  of  life). 
You-piter  (Jupiter}  was  regarded  by  the  Egyptians,  according  to 
Manethon,  a  priest  of  Memphis,  as  the  father,  the  generator  of 
living  beings.  The  god  of  Moses,  Jehouh  or  Jehovah,  and  whom 
he  called  the  soul  of  the  world,  is  no  other  than  the  You-piter  of 
the  Egyptians. 

26.—  Tyre. 

According  to  the  chronology  of  Herodotus,  there  was  a  temple 
founded  to  the  Phenician  Hercules  (the  sun)  in  the  year  2760 
B.  C.,  at  ancient  Tyre,  upon  the  rock  facing  the  island  upon  which 
the  city  stood  some  thirteen  hundred  years  afterward.  The  ancient 
city  destroyed  by  Nebuchadnezzar  in  the  year  572  B.  (J.,  was  re- 
built a  few  years  after  by  the  remnant  of  the  Tyrian  people. 

27. —  TJie  Jews  Driven  from  Egypt. 

According  to  Manethon,  the  Egyptian  priest  prievously  quoted, 
"the  ancestors  of  the  Jewish  people  were  a  mixture  of  divers  classes 
of  men,  among  which  were  even  Egyptian  priests,  who.  from  causes 
of  impurity,  canonical  defilement,  and  especially  for  leprosy,  were 


NOTES.  405 

by  command  of  an  oracle,  expelled  from  Egypt   by  a  king  named 
Amenuphis." 

In  Exodus  it  is  stated  that  many  strangers  followed  Israel  out 
of  Egypt. 

28.—  TJie  Pentateuch. 

A  crowd  of  circumstances  tend  to  prove  that  Moses  was  not  the 
•author  of  the  Pentateuch,  as  these  books  have  come  to  us.  Hel- 
kiah,  the  high  priest,  who,  under  the  reign  of  the  young  king  Jo- 
siah,  made  this  king  of  eight  years  old,  and  also  the  Jewish  people, 
believe  that  he  had  found  the  book  of  the  law  in  the  temple  of  the 
Lord,  is,  in  the  sense  that  he  collected  and  arranged  these  books 
and  prefaced  them  with  a  cosmogony,  the  real  author  of  them  as 
they  were  presented  to  the  Jewish  king,  priests,  and  people.  About 
this  time,  it  will  be  noticed,  the  Jews  had  generally  abandoned  the 
worship  of  the  true  God  for  the  worship  of  Baal  (the  Belus  or  sun 
of  the  Chaldeans),  and  the  high  priest  conceived  the  project  of  re- 
animating the  national  spirit  by  resuscitating  the  laws  of  Moses, 
comprised  in  the  four  books  containing  the  precepts,  command- 
ments, prohibitions,  rites,  and  ordinances  which  constitute  that 
law.  It  was  the  mode  then  to  have  cosmogonies  explanatory  of  the 
orig'n  of  all  things,  as  well  of  nations  as  of  the  world  itself,  and 
eacii  people  had  their  sacred  books,  commencing  with  a  cosmogony. 
The  Greeks  had  that  of  Hesiod,  the  Persians  that  of  Zoroaster,  the 
Pheniciaus  that  of  Sanchoniathou,  the  Hindoos  had  their  Vedas 
and  Pouranas,  and  the  Egyptians  had  the  five  books  of  Hermes. 
Helkiah  desired  to  give  to  the  Jewish  people  a  book  that  would 
serve  as  their  standard,  and,  so  to  speak,  to  promote  national  con- 
cord, he  believed  it  necessary  to  arrange  a  cosmogony.  Both  by 
nature  and  education  Helkiah 'was  peculiarly  fitted  for  this  work; 
his  people,  originally  Chaldean,  had  preserved  many  traditions,  and, 
like  his  agent,  Jeremiah,  he  had  a  political  preference  for  Chaldean 
tradition.  He  therefore  adopted,  with  modifications,  the  Babylon- 
ish cosmogony.  Here  we  observe  the  true  source  of  the  remarkable 
resemblance  which  the  historian  Josephus,  as  also  all  the  ancient 
Christian  fathers,  have  noticed  between  the  first  twelve  chapters  of 
Genesis  and  the  Chaldean  antiquities  of  Berose. 

Theie  is  another  portion  of  the  Jewish  history  no  more  worthy  of 
credence,  as  it  is  given  in  subsequent  books ;  this  is  what  is  called 
the  Book  of  Judges,  covering  from  1551  to  1080  B.  C.,  and  the 
Book  of  Joshua,  which  afford  us  so  vague  a  record  of  the  history  of 
this  time,  when  contrasted  with  the  exact  details  of  the  Books  ot 
Kings,  that  we  can  not  determine  but  that,  previous  to  the  appear- 
ance of  the  high  priest,  or  prophet,  Elias,  the  history  of  the  Jews 
is  broken,  dissolved;  that  all  is  uncertain  and  confused,  and  that 
their  annals  really  «o  back  no  further  than  1131  B.  C.  So  much 
is  this  the  case  that  it  is  impossible  to  determine  within  twenty  or 


406  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

thirty  years  when  Moses  died,  and  that  it  is  only  permitted  by  a 
reasonable  calculation  of  probabilities  to  fix  the  date  of  that  event 
at  from  1450  to  1420  B.  0. 

From  this  condition  of  their  history,  it  naturally  results  that  if 
the  Jews  had  no  exact  notions  of  the  time  which  elapsed  between 
Moses  and  Elias,  nor  of  the  time  of  the  sojourn  in  Egypt — lor 
nothing  is  clear  in  this  regard — how  could  they  pretend  to  have 
better  knowledge  of  the  time  previous  to  their  existence  as  a  people 
in  Egypt,  or,  more  anterior  far.  the  time  when  no  nation  existed,  or 
about  the  time  man  was  created,  of  which  no  testimony  existed,  but 
of  which  their  Genesis  give  us  the  recital  of  events  as  if  the  writer 
had  the  process  passing  before  him?  The  Jews  say  that  this  was  a 
revelation  made  by  God  direct  to  their  prophet  Moses.  We  reply 
that  many  nations  have  held  to  like  language — the  Egyptian,  the 
Phenician,  the  Chaldean,  and  the  Persian  peoples  all  have  equally 
had  the  history  of  the  creation  revealed  to  their  prophets.  In 
our  day  the  Hindoos  have  presented  to  our  missionaries  their  Vedas 
and  Pouranas,  with  some  pretensions  to  an  antiquity  more  remote 
than  Genesis  or  any  other  of  the  books  attributed  to  Moses.  It 
is  true  that  our  learned  biblists  reject,  or  at  least  contest  the 
authenticity  of  these  books;  but  the  Brahmins,  retorting,  use  our 
own  arguments,  and  contest  the  authenticity  of  our  Bible. 

The  most  convincing  proof  that  the  author  of  the  Hebrew 
Genesis  drew  his  cosmogony  from  that  of  the  Chaldeans  is  afforded 
us  by  the  recital  of  the  details  that  we  therein  find  of  the  deluge, 
in  comparing  it  with  the  text  of  two  fragments,  the  one  of  Alex- 
ander Polyhistor,  a  learned  compiler  of  the  time  of  Scylla,  and  the 
other  that  of  Abydene.  another  compiler,  who,  Eusebius  lias  in- 
formed us,  consulted  the  monuments  of  the  Medes  and  the  As- 
syrians. That  which  the  Hebrew  Genesis  recounts  of  Noah,  or 
Noe,  these  authors  recount  of  Zisuthrus ;  and  it  is  plain  that  the 
history,  from  the  beginning  of  the  deluge  to  the  account  of  the 
rainbow,  is  purely  Chaldean  ;  that  is  to  say,  that  chapters  6  to 
11,  inclusive,  are  taken  from  the  legends  of  the  priests  of  that 
nation,  of  an  infinitely  remote  period  of  time. 

These  texts  upon  the  deluge  would  afford  matter  for  a  volume 
of  commentaries,  but  we  will  confine  our  remarks  to  what  will  be 
necessary  for  sensible  men.  The  three  recitals  mentioned  are  a 
tissue  of  moral  and  physical  impossibilities;  but  here  simple  good 
sense  does  not  suffice;  it  is  necessary  to  be  initiated  into  the 
astrological  doctrine  of  the  ancients  to  interpret  the  language 
employed,  and  to  know  that  the  deluges  of  the  Hebrews,  Chal- 
deans, Greeks,  Persians  and  Hindoos,  as  having  destroyed  the 
world  under  Noah,  Ogyzes,  luachus,  Zisuthrus,  or  Satyavrata, 
are  one  and  the  same  physico-astronomical  event  which  is  repeated 
every  year,  and  concerning  which  the  principal  wonder  is  the  me- 
taphorical language  in  which  it  is  expressed. 


NOTES.  407 

In  that  language  the  great  circle  of  the  heavens  is  called  mun~ 
C?MS,  of  which  the  analogue  mondola  also  signifies,  in  the  Sanscrit, 
a  circle,  and  of  which  the  orbis  of  the  Latins  is  the  synonym. 
The  revolution  by  the  sun  of  this  circle  composed  the  year  of 
twelve  months,  and  was  called  orbis,  the  world,  the  celestial  circle. 
Consequently,  every  twelve  months  the  world  was  finished  and  the 
•world  was  begun,  the  world  was  destroyed  and  the  world  was  re- 
newed. The  time  of  this  remarkable  event  varied,  according  to  the 
usage  of  the  peoples  in  commencing  their  year  with  the  solstices 
or  the  equinoxes.  In  Egypt  the  year  began  with  the  solstice  of 
summer.  At  this  time  the  Nile  exhibited  the  first  symptoms  of  its 
annual  overflow,  and  in  forty  days  thereafter  the  water  covers  all 
the  land  of  Egypt  to  the  depth  of  fiVe  cubits.  This  was  then,  as 
it  is  now,  for  that  low-lying  country,  an  ocean,  a  deluge  most  de- 
structive in  the  early  times,  and  before  the  people,  becoming  nu- 
merous and  more  intelligent,  had  drained  the  swamps,  and  with 
dykes  defended  themselves  from  the  effects  of  this  overflow.  Ex- 
perience proved  to  them  that  a  group  of  stars  occupied  the  heavens 
coincident  with  the  first  symptoms  of  the  rise,  and  this  group  they 
called  the  ship  or  bark,  as  it  indicated  that  now  they  must  be  ready 
to  embark;  another  group  was  called  the  dog,  and  the  appearance 
of  which  indicated  that  the  flow  had  attained  its  greatest  height; 
a  third  was  called  the  crow,  a  fourth  the  dove,  a  fifth  the  laborer, 
and,  not  far  from  him.  was  the  virgin  harvester.  All  these  persons 
A^ho  figured  in  the  deluge  of  Noah  and  Zisuthrus  are  also  in  the 
celestial  sphere,  which  was  a  true  table  or  calendar,  of  which  the 
two  texts  from  which  we  have  quoted  furnish  a  description  more 
or  less  faithful. 

The  most  remarkable  difference  between  the  Chaldean  and  tho 
Hebrew  recital  is,  that  the  one  preserves  the  astrologico- mytho- 
logical character,  while  the  other  is  turned  into  a  sense  and  toward 
an  object  exclusively  moral.  In  fact,  according  to  the  Hebrew 
version — of  which  there  are  in  the  text  more  than  a  hundred  verses, 
and  so  well  known  that  it  is  not  necessary  here  to  quote  them — 
the  human  race,  having  become  perverted,  "giants,"  the  progeny 
of  the  "sons  of  God"  and  "  daughters  of  men,"  exercised  all  sorts 
of  violence.  Then  God  repents  having  made  man.  He  speaks; 
he  deliberates  upon  this  subject,  and  finally  he  concludes  to  ex- 
terminate the  whole  race,  not  only  of  man,  but,  by  the  manner  of 
their  destruction,  necessarily  of  every  living  thing  upon  the  earth. 
One  man,  however,  he  is  content  to  save,  because  he  is  a  just  man 
and  worthy  of  preservation.  To  this  man  God  makes  known  his 
design;  he  announces  the  coming  deluge;  he  directs  him  how  to 
build  a  ship,  etc.  When  the  deluge  has  destroyed  all  else,  this  man, 
being  saved,  offers  up  a  sacrifice  of  clean  animals,  according  to  ihr. 
law  of  Moses,  as  announced  by  him  to  the  Hebrews  in  the  wilder- 
ness God  is  so  greatly  propitiated  by  this  that  he  promises  to 


408  GENERAL    HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

make  no  more  deluges;  he  imparts  to  Noah  his  blessing,  some  pre- 
cepts, and  an  abridgment  of  the  law  of  Motes;  he  enters  into  an 
alliance  with  all  living  beings,  and,  as  a  sign  of  this  alliance,  he 
invents  the  rainbow,  etc.  All  this  is  represented  in  other  parts  of 
the  text  with  some  contradictions,  viz. :  it  rained  forty  days — the 
waters  remained  one  hundred  and  fifty  days,  when  the  winds  blew 
and  the  rain  ceased.  On  the  first  day  of  the  tenth  month  the  tops 
of  the  mountains  are  visible,  and,  forty  days  afterward,  a  dove  was 
ent  forth,  but  returns,  having  found  no  place  whereon  to  rest  her 
foot,  etc. 

What  is  this  recital  but  a  moral  drama ;  such  a  lesson  in  conduct 
as  might  be  given  to  the  people  by  a  religious  legislator — a  priest? 

29. — The  Prodigies  of  Moses. 

Moses,  or  rather  Moushah,  according  to  the  true  pronunciation, 
conceived  the  project  of  becoming  ruler  of  and  legislator  for  the 
Hebrew  people,  and  this  design  he  executed  with  means  appro- 
priate to  the  circumstances  and  a  force  of  character  very  remark- 
able. His  people,  ignorant  and  superstitious  as  they  have  always 
been,  and  as  were  the  wandering  tribes  of  the  Arabs,  believed  iu 
magic — a  belief  that  even  yet  obtains  in  the  Easl^.  Moses  is  said 
to  have  executed  miracles  and  prodigies ;  that  is,  he  produced 
natural  phenomena  which  the  priests  of  Egypt,  by  long  study  and 
happy  chance,  discovered  the  means  of  executing.  It  is  impos- 
sible to  account  by  natural  means  for  the  miracles  which  Moses  is 
said  to  have  performed;  but  it  is  plain  that  the  writers  who 
described  them  exaggerated  and  corrupted  the  facts,  with  the  de- 
sign of  magnifying  the  acts  of  their  prophet,  priest,  and  king. 

30. — Dogma  of  an  Only  God. 

The  Jews,  the  Christians,  and  the  Mussulmans,  founding  their 
belief  upon  the  same  books,  all  admit  the  existence  of  a  first  man, 
who  ruined  the  whole  human  race  by  eating  an  apple.  The  prin- 
cipal difference  between  them  consists  in  this,  that  after  having 
admitted  one  indivisible  Grod,  the  Christians  divided  the  same  into 
three  persons,  each  of  whom  they  maintained  was  a  God  entire 
and  complete,  without  ceasing  to  form,  with  the  others,  an  iden- 
tical whole.  And  they  maintained,  further,  that  this  being  who 
filled  the  universe,  assumed  the  form  of  an  individual  man,  with 
a  body  composed  of  like  perishable  materials,  without  ceasing  to 
be  immortal,  eternal,  and  infinite.  The  Mussulmans,  who  can  not 
comprehend  these  mysteries,  notwithstanding  they  believe  in  the 
mission  of  their  prophet,  rjject  the  Christian  doctrine  as  the  fruit 
of  an  unsound  mind  ;  and  among  the  Christians  themselves  the 
disagreement  widens  by  as  much  as  the  problems  upon  which  they 


NOTES.  409 

differ  is  impossible  of  demonstration,  and  inaccessible  to  the  ap- 
pro ich  of  common  sense  and  human  reason. 

Thus,  while  they  admit  that  God  is  an  incomprehensible  and 
unknown  being,  they  nevertheless  dispute  as  to  his  essence,  the 
causes  of  his  actions,  and  his  attributes  ;  admitting  his  transform- 
ation into  a  human  body  to  be  an  enigma  beyond  their  compre- 
hension, they  dispute  about  the  confusion  or  the  distinction  of  the 
two  natures,  upon  the  change  of  substance,  or-  transubstantiation, 
the  real  or  fancied  presence,  and  upon  the  manner  of  the  incarna- 
tion, etc.;  and  from  these  differences  innumerable  sects  have 
spuing  up,  and,  to  the  extent  of  two  or  three  hundred,  have 
become  extinct,  while  two  or  three  hundred  others  yet  exist. 
The  Bible,  which  is  the  common  authority  of  all  these  sects,  in 
substance,  says  that  God  (after  having  passed  an  eternity  doing 
nothing)  conceived  the  design  of  producing  the  world  out  of 
nothing;  and,  having  accomplished  this  labor  and  completed  his 
creation  in  six  days,  he  rested  upon  the  seventh;  that  having,  as 
the  crowning  part  of  his  creation,  made  a  pair  of  human  beings, 
the  first  of  their  kind,  he  placed  them  in  a  garden  very  delicious, 
to  the  end  that  they  might  be  perfectly  happy,  but  prohibiting 
them,  however,  from  eating  a  certain  fruit  which  he  placed  within 
easy  reach  of  their  hands  ;  that  this  first  pair  having  disobeyed 
this  prohibition,  all  their  kind,  none  of  which  were  yet  born,  were 
condemned  to  .expiate  a  fault  which,  as  they  had  no  existence, 
they  could  not  commit;  that  after  having  allowed  the  human  race 
to  be  thus  condemned  during  four  or  five  thousand  years,  this 
God  of  mercy,  goodness,  and  justice  proposed  to  his  only  begot- 
ten yet  co-existent  and  well-beloved  son  to  assume  the  form  of  a 
man,  by  being  born  of  a  woman  upon  the  earth,  to  the  end  that 
he  should  suffer  death  to  save  man  from  eternal  death  ;  that  hav- 
ing accomplished  these  things,  and  thus  saved  all  men  who  had 
existed  upon  the  earth,  from  the  fall  of  the  first  pair  until  his 
death,  this  only-begotten  sou,  co-existent  with  the  Father,  or- 
dained, at  his  last  supper  upon  earth,  a  plan  by  which  those  who 
should  be  born  after  his  death  might  be  saved,  and  for  this  pur- 
pose he  instituted  a  sacrament,  named  after  that  event,  and  by 
which  a  little  bread  is  said  to  compose  the  body  of  this  sacrificed 
God,  and  be  endowed,  for  the  benefit  of  its  consumer,  with  all 
the  effisacy  of  the  real  body,  and  become  the  oblation  or  atone- 
ment for  the  sins  of  future  men. 

Now,  is  it  not  enough  to  upset  all  ideas  of  justice  or  reason  to 
admit  that  a  God,  just  and  holy,  should  have  condemned  the 
whole  human  race  because  a  man  and  a  woman,  four  or  five  thou- 
sand years  before,  ate  an  apple?  Was  there  ever  a  tyrant  who 
made  the  children  suffer  for  their  parents'  crimes?  What  inau 
can  atone  for  the  crimes  of  another  man  ? 

The  following  picture,  extracted  from  their  sacred  books,  proves, 


410  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

in  fact,  that  it  is  not  God  who  has  made  man  to  his  image,  but, 
upon  the  contrary,  it  is  man  who  has  made  God  to  that  image 
and  in  that  likeness  which  most  satisfies  himself  and  suits  his 
purposes. 

The  God  of  the  Israelites,  their  Jehouh,  or  Jehovah,  as  Moses 
distinguished  the  You-piter  of  the  Egyptians,  is,  if  we  judge  from 
the  manner  in  which  he  is  represented  in  the  Bible,  a  despot,  a 
revengeful  God,  and  exterminator  of  the  peoples.  The  human 
race  w;.s  perverted,  and  he  repents  of  having  created  the  species, 
he  speaks,  he  deliberates,  he  decides  upon  a  violent  means  of  de- 
stroying all  that  has  life,  thus  involving  not  only  the  offending 
race,  but  all  others  in  a  common  death ;  he  has  pity  upon  but  a 
single  family  of  man,  which  he  saves.  After  the  execution  of  this 
decision,  this  same  God,  who  then  had  entered  into  an  alliance 
with  all  the  living,  is  stated  to  have  said  to  the  Hebrew  people 
(See  Exodus,  chap,  xxvi):  "  I  will  not  exterminate  the  Canaanites 
before  your  face  in  one  single  year,  for  fear  that  the  country 
should  be  reduced  to  a  desert."  It  will  be  observed  that  his 
reason  for  exterminating  the  Canaanites  at  all  was,  that  he  is  said 
to  have  promised  their  land  to  the  Hebrews.  Subsequently  this 
same  God,  through  the  mouth  of  their  prophet  Samuel,  ordered 
the  Jews  to  exterminate  all  the  people  of  Amalek,  sparing  neither 
man,  woman,  child,  or  beast  for  food  or  burden;  and  why?  Be- 
cause, four  hundred  years  previously,  the  Amalek ites  opposed  the 
passage  of  the  Hebrews  through  their  country.  Then  the  same 
God,  furious  at  the  temerity  of  five  thousand  persons  who  look 
upon  the  ark  of  the  covenant,  strikes  them  all  dead.  Elsewhere 
this  same  God,  among  many  other  trifling  acts,  dictates  to  Moses 
the  wood  with  which  he  shall  make  the  ark  ;  he  has  interviews 
with  the  prophets,  speaking  to  them  in  their  chambers,  and  re- 
penting one  day  of  what  he  ordered  done  the  day  previous.  This 
is  the  God  of  the  Jews.  But  where  are  the  witnesses  and  proofs 
of  these  things  which  are  alleged  and  reasserted  in  the  Old  Tes- 
tament? There  are  none. 

Now,  observe  what  are  the  qualities  of  the  God  of  the  Chris- 
tians. This  God  was  at  first  a  God  of  peace,  goodness,  and  char- 
ity. Christ  exhibits  him  to  us  as  a  being  the  most  holy  and 
perfect,  and,  at  the  same  time, .as  the  most  affectionate  father  of 
all  mankind ;  but  Christ  dies,  and  immediately  the  priests,  who 
preach  what  they  call  Christ's  doctrine,  change  God  into  a  despot, 
burning  with  revenge  for  man's  incorrigible  wickedness.  While 
assuming  to  be  the  successors  of  Christ,  unlike  him  they  preach 
neither  liberty,  toleration,  nor  peace;  but,  in  his  name,  and  with 
the  emblem  of  his  death  upraised  in  their  hands,  they  have  led 
crusades  against  Arianism,  Manicheanism,  and  Protestantism,  under 
the  assertion  that  the  peoples  who  defended  and  indulged  these 
doctrines  were  heretics,  and,  consequently,  accursed  of  God.  It  is 


NOTES.  411 

in  the  name  of  their  God  that  the  aboriginal  people  of  America 
have  been  exterminated,  Mexico  and  Peru  have  been  conquered, 
and  their  inhabitants  destroyed;  that  Africa  has  been  devastated, 
and  its  inhabitants  sold  like  beasts;  and,  in  the  same  name,  that 
the  priests  of  the  "  Holy  Inquisition"  persecuted  the  sects  of  the 
Christian  church  in  Europe  until  nearly  a  million  of  persons  were 
destroyed,  over  thirty  thousand  of  whom  were  roasted  to  death. 

Now  take  the  Koran,  and  see  what  is  the  god  of  the  Mussul- 
mans. Their  god,  as  created  by  Mahomet,  his  prophet,  and  called 
Allah,  is.  according  to  the  holy  books  of  Islamism,  a  god  opposed 
in  many  things  to  the  god  of  the  Jews  and  the  Christians.  This 
god,  they  say,  after  having  sent  twenty-four  thousand  propheta 
to  the  nations  which  had  become  idolatrous,  finally  sent  a  last 
prophet,  the  most  perfect  of  all,  Mahomet,  upon  whom  should  be 
impressed  the  salutation  of  peace.  Then,  in  order  that  the  infidel 
should  not  change  the  divine  word,  supreme  clemency  itself  traced 
the  leaves  of  the  Koran,  and  thus  it  became  immortal,  uncreated, 
eternal  as  the  source  from  which  it  emanated  ;  page  by  page  and 
leaf  by  leaf,  as  it  was  composed,  was  it  sent  by  the  angel  Gabriel 
to  the  prophet,  and  was  entirely  delivered  to  him  in  twenty-four 
thousand  nocturnal  visits.  These  visits  were  announced  by  a  cold 
sweat  seizing  upon  the  prophet.  That  in  the  vision  of  a  night  he 
reached  the  nineteenth  heaven,  seated  upon  the  back  of  the  animal 
Barak,  half  horse  and  half  woman  ;  that,  owing  to  the  gift  of 
miracles,  he  reached  the  sun  without  protection  from  the  intensity 
of  his  light,  made  trees  grow  with  a  single  word,  filled  cisterna 
with  water,  split  the  disk  of  the  moon  in  two  ;  and,  charged  with 
the  commission  of  God.  sword  in  hand,  Mahomet  propagated  a  re- 
ligion the  most  worthy  of  God  by  reason  of  its  sublimity,  and 
the  most  suitable  for  man  by  reason  of  its  simplicity,  since  it  con- 
sists of  but  nine  points,  viz.:  1.  To  profess  the  oneness  of  God. 
2.  To  recognize  Mahomet  for  his  only  prophet.  3.  To  pray  five 
times  a  day.  4.  To  fast  one  month  in  the  year.  5.  To  go  to 
Mecca  once  in  a  lifetime.  6.  To  give  the  tenth  of  your  property 
to  the  faithful.  7.  To  drink  no  wine..  8.  To  eat  no  pork.  1).  To 
make  continual  war  upon  the  infidels.  By  practicing  these  pre- 
cepts during  life,  all  Mussulmans  would,  like  himself,  enjoy  thia 
world  with  great  satisfaction,  and  at  their  death,  also,  like  him, 
become  apostles  and  martyrs,  whose  souls,  borne  in  the  balance  of 
their  works,  and  absolved  by  the  two  black  angels,  after  having 
traversed  hell,  by  crossing  that  bridge  which  is  straight  as  a  hair 
and  sharp  as  a  saber,  would  be  received  into  a  place  the  most  de- 
licious— a  land  flowing  with  milk  and  honey — where,  embalmed 
with  all  the  perfumes  of  India  and  Araby,  chaste  virgins,  celestial 
houris.  would  minister  constantly  to  their  pleasure,  and,  with  them, 
continue  forever  young. 

Here  we  behold  the  god  Allah  of  the  Ishmaelites,  and  the  para- 


412  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

dise  promised  to  the  believers  of  his  prophet  and  those  who  obey 
his  laws,  the  first  precept  of  which  is  murder  and  war.  It  is  uuder 
the  banner  of  this  doctrine  that,  during  twelve  centuries,  its 
fanatical  partisans  have  spread  the  horrors  of  war  and  carnage 
among  the  neighboring  nations.  It  is  Islamism  that  has  plunged 
the  people  of  Asia,  once  flourishing  and  intelligent,  into  the  realm 
of  barbarism  and  ignorance. 

It  is  thus  that  these  self-styled  prophets  and  priests  of  God 
have  elevated  themselves  into  doctors  of  the  peoples,  and  opened 
the  ways  of  wickedness  and  iniquity.  Attaching  merit  to  prac- 
tices inconsequent  and,  in  fact,  ridiculous,  their  virtue  consists  in 
gesticulating  in  certain  postures,  in  the  expression  of  certain  words, 
in  articulating  certain  names,  in  eating  and  drinking  certain  kinds 
of  food  and  drink,  and  refraining  from  others.  How  low  are 
man's  ideas  of  the  most  elevated  of  beings!  It  would  seem,  in 
hearkening  to  the  priests  of  these  different  religions,  that  their 
god,  whimsical  and  capricious,  eats  and  drinks  like  a  man  ;  that, 
in  turn,  he  loves  and  hates,  casts  down  and  uplifts  ;  that,  weak  as 
wicked,  he  nurses  his  hate  ;  that,  contradictory  as  perfidious,  he 
sets  snares  for  the  unwary  ;  that,  after  permitting  evil,  he  punishes 
it;  that,  foreseeing  crime,  he  permits  it;  that,  a  venal  judge,  he  is 
propitiated  by  bribes  ;  that,  an  imprudent  despot,  he  makes  laws 
which  he  immediately  revokes;  that,  ferocious  tyrant,  he  holds  or 
confers  his  favors  without  a  cause,  and  bends  but  to  the  strength 
of  meanness  ! 

Now  that  we  have  seen,  as  exhibited  by  their  priests  and 
prophets,  the  God  of  the  Jews,  of  the  Christians,  and  the  Mussul- 
mans, let  us  examine  him  who  is  revered  by  Freemasons.  Here 
is  their  idea  of  a  Supreme  Being.  From  at  first  they  have  called 
him  the  Grand  Architect  of  the  Universe,  regarding  the  universe 
as  that  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens,  and, 
conformably  to  this  idea,  they  comprehend  under  this  denomination 
a  universal  arid  eternal  intelligence,  gifted  with  all  power,  all 
science,  all  love;  ruling  the  worlds  and  the  beings  which  compose 
the  universe  by  regular  and  uniform  laws  to  the  close  of  their 
existence.  It  is  this  God,  that  they  reverence  as  the  Only  Master, 
who  is  seen  and  made  manifest  in  all  the  wonders  of  his  works, 
which  they  behold  amazed;  and,  as  the  author  and  father  of  all 
men,  he  gives  to  all  intelligence  and  life.  Thus  regarding  the 
Supreme  Being,  the  religion  of  Masonry  can  be  but  a  summary  of 
human  wisdom — of  all  those  perfections  the  practice  of  which 
render  man  nearly  divine;  and  it  is,  in  a  word,  that  universal 
morality  which  attaches  to  the  inhabitants  of  "every  country — to 
the  man  of  every  worship.  This  morality  is  more  extended  and 
more  universal  than  that  of  any  national  religion,  for  these,  always 
exclusive,  class  those  who  do  not  believe  nor  worship  at  thoir 
shrines  as  unbelievers,  as  idolaters,  schismatics,  sectarians,  and 


NOTES.  413 

infidels,  while  Masonry  sees  nothing  in  religionists  of  every  kind 
but  brethren,  to  whom  she  opens  her  temple  and  admits  them, 
to  be  therein  freed  from  the  prejudices  of  their  country  or  the 
errors  of  the  religion  of  their  fathers,  by  learning  to  love  one 
another,  and  to  sustain  each  other.  Bearing  on  high  her  torch, 
she  would  have  it  shed  its  pure  beams  to  enlighten  and  not  to 
destroy  ;  but  while  she  flies  from  error  she  neither  hates  nor 
persecutes:  her  object  being,  in  fine,  to  blend  the  whole  family  of 
man  into  one  band  of  brothers,  united  by  love,  science,  and  labor. 
This  being  the  true  Masonic  doctrine,  it  becomes  necessary  that 
masonry  should  open  its  temples  to  all  men — to  the  Jew  as  to 
the  Mohammedan,  to  the  adorer  of  Bhuida  or  Fot  as  to  the 
adorer  of  God  in  Christ ;  and  this  without  seeking  to  identify 
itself  with  the  rites  of  any  of  the.se  religionists,  or  to  follow  the 
standard  of  any  prophet.  Without  permitting  herself  to  descend 
to  such  an  adoption,  Freemasonry  can  select  from  their  best  doc- 
trines, and  cull  from  their  commandments  all  that  conforms  to 
the  rule  of  her  existence;  that  is,  the  practice  of  universal  morality. 

31.— The  Worship  of  the  Stars. 

The  worship  of  the  sun  has  given  to  the  Jewish  and  Roman 
Catholic  priests  the  tonsure,  which  represents  the  disk  of  the  sun, 
of  which  the  stole  is  the  zodiac,  and  the  chaplets  are  the  emblems 
of  the  stars  and  planets  ;  the  miter  of  the  pontiff,  together  with 
the  crozier  and  mantle,  are  those  of  Osiris ;  and  the  cross,  the 
mysteries  of  which  are  extolled  without  being  understood  by  the 
priests,  is  the  cross  of  Serapis,  traced  by  the  hand  of  the  Egyptian 
priests  upon  their  symbolic  plan  of  the  world,  which,  passing  by 
the  equinoxes  and  the  tropics  becomes  the  emblem  of  the  resur- 
rection and  a  future  life. 

32. —  The  Essenians. 

This  religious  and  philosophic  sect,  of  which  Christ  had  been  a 
member,  was  composed  of  learned  Jews  who  lived  in  the  form  of 
a  society  similar  to  that  of  Pythagoras.  Love  of  labor,  sobriety, 
love  of  truth,  the  absence  of  all  oaths,  fidelity,  love  of  peace,  hor- 
ror of  violence,  complete  equality  in  all  social  relations,  property 
in  common,  (of  which  the  first  Christian  community  of  Jerusalem 
affords  an  example,)  or,  at  the  least,  disinterested  aid  afforded  to  those 
members  who  were  in  need  ;  in  general,  love  to  God  and  man, 
made  manifest  by  iatense  honesty — these  were  the  principles 
which  distinguished  the  Essenians.  It  was  in  this  celebrated 
•philosophical  sect  that,  among  numbers  of  ancient  traditions,  that 
of  a  future  savior — a  great  mediator  who  would  reestablish  the 
nation  in  all  its  ancient  glory — was  conserved  and  principally 
propagated.  This  prediction  was  founded  as  follows  : 


414  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

After  the  Assyrians  had  destroyed  the  kingdom  of  Samaria, 
some  prudent  persons,  foreseeing  the  same  destiny  for  Jerusalem, 
predicted  and  announced  it,  and  their  predictions  had  all  the  ap- 
pearance of  prophecies.  The  hierophants,  in  their  enthusiasm, 
had  conceived  a  kingly  liberator,  who  would  reestablish  the  nation 
in  its  ancient  glory,  and  the  Hebrew  people  again  become  a 
powerful  people,  conquering  and  to  conquer,  with  Jerusalem  the 
capital  of  an  empire,  coextensive  with  the  whole  earth. 

Events  having  realized  the  first  of  these  predictions,  viz.,  the 
ruin  of  Jerusalem,  the  people  attached  to  the  second  much  more 
implicit  belief  than  accorded  with  the  event;  and  the  afflicted 
Jews  looked  with  an  impatience  corresponding  with  their  need  for 
the  coming  of  that  victorious  king  and  liberator  who  should  re- 
build the  nation  fashioned  by  Moses  and  reestablish  the  empire 
of  David. 

Otherwise,  the  sacred  mythological  traditions  of  the  previous 
time  had  spread  over  all  Asia  an  entirely  analogous  dogma. 
They  had  spoken  of  a  Great  Mediator,  a  final  Judge,  a  future 
Savior,  who,  as  Grod,  king,  and  legislator,  should  bring  the  golden 
age  to  earth,  deliver  his  empire  from  evil,  and  render  to  man  the 
reign  of  blessing,  peace,  and  happiness.  These  ideas  found  place 
in  the  hearts  of  the  people  the  more  as  they  became  oppressed 
by  successive  devastation  and  saddened  by  the  barbarism  of  their 
despotic  governments;  and  this  conformity  between  the  oracles  of 
other  nations  and  the  prophets  of  their  own  excited  the  attention 
of  the  Jews.  There  is  little  doubt  that  those  prophets  had  been 
artful  enough  to  calculate  their  events  after  the  manner  employed 
in  the  pagan  mysteries;  for  in  Judea  general  attention  had  been 
attracted  to  the  coming  of  a  final  savior,  when  a  singular  circum- 
stance determined  the  period  of  his  advent. 

It  was  written  in  the  sacred  books  of  the  Chaldeans  and 
Persians  that  the  world,  composed  of  a  total  revolution  of  twelve 
thousand,1  was  divided  into  two  partial  revolutions,  one  of  which, 
the  <ige  and  reign  of  good,  terminated  at  the  close  of  the  first 
six  thousand,  and  the  other,  the  age  and  reign  of  evil,  terminated 
at  the  close  of  the  second  six  thousand.  By  these  recitals,  the 
first  authors  had  extended  the  annual  revolution  of  i.lie  celestial 
orbit  called  the  world,  and  the  two  systematic  periods  of  each 
year,  viz.,  winter  and  summer,  each  divided  into  six  thousand 
parts.  These  expressions,  in  which  the  thousands  were  taken  in 
the  sense  of  years,  instead  of  parts,  and  the  whole  taken  in  a 
literal  rather  than  in  an  astrological  sense,  together  with  the  fact 
that  in  these  latter  days  the  Jews  were  unhappily  situated,  suh- 

1  This,  it  will  be  remembered  by  the  reader,  was  the  division  of  the  zodiac 
of  Zoroaster  iiito  twelve  ihousauds,  or  t~veNe  mouths,  of  a  thousand  parts 
each. 


NOTES.  415 

ject  to  and  severely  taxed  by  the  Roman  power,  induced  them  to 
believe  that  the  age  of  evil  was  about  to  close,  and  be  succeeded 
by  the  age  of  good. 

Now,  in  the  calculations  of  the  Jews,  they  commenced  to  count 
their  first  six  thousand  years  from  their  (fictitious)  creation  of 
the  world.  This  time  was  certainly  about  to  close,  and  this  co- 
incidence produced  an  agitation  in  the  minds  of  leading  men 
among  them.  They  talked  of  nothing  but  the  approaching  time; 
they  interrogated  the  hierophants  and  their  mystic  books;  they 
expected  the  advent  daily  of  that  restorer  of  their  ancient  great- 
ness. Jesus  Christ,  educated  among  the  Essenians,  appears  and 
preaches  his  doctrine.  It  is  not  satisfactory  to  those  in  power  ; 
he  is  arrested,  tried,  condemned,  executed.  After  his  death,  his 
disciples  and  partisans,  deprived  of  their  chief  by  an  incident, 
true,  without  doubt,  gave  place  by  their  recitals  to  a  rumor  which 
gradually  grew  into  a  history,  and  immediately  all  the  circumstances 
of  the  mythological  traditions  have  place,  and  afford  us  a  system 
authentic  and  complete,  and  which  we  can  not  doubt. 

These  mythological  traditions  set  forth  that,  "  In  the  beginning 
a  woman  and  a  man  having,  by  their  disobedience  and  consequent 
fall,  introduced  sin  into  the  world."  (Take  an  ancient  celestial 
globe,  and  follow  the  explanation.)  Here  we  perceive  the  astro- 
nomical fact  that  the  virgin  harvester  and  the  cowherd  (Bootes), 
occupying  positions  obliquely  to  the  equinox  of  autumn,  seem  to 
deliver  the  heavens  to  the  constellation  of  winter,  and,  falling 
under  the  horizon,  introduces  into  the  world  the  genius  of  evil, 
Ahrimune,  symbolized  by  the  constellation  of  the  serpent. 

The  traditions  continue  :  il  That  the  woman,  having  fallen,  se- 
duced the  man  ;"  and,  in  fact,  the  virgin,  descending  first,  seems 
to  diMjr  Bootes  toward  her.  "  That  the  woman,  holding  him,  pre- 
sents In. n  with  fruits  beautiful  to  look  upon  and  good  to  cat,  and 
which  impart  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil ;"  and,  in  fact,  the 
virgin  holds  in  her  hand  a  branch  of  fruit,  which  she  seems  to 
be  extending  toward  Bootes,  while  the  bough  or  branch,  emblem 
of  autumn,  placed  in  the  zodiac  of  Mithra  upon  the  frontier  of 
winter  and  of  summer,  seems  to  open  the  door  and  bestow  science, 
which  is  the  key  of  good  and  evil. 

The  traditions  continue  :  "  That  this  couple  had  been  chased  from 
the  celes'ial  garden,  and  that  a  cherubim,  with  a  flaming  sword,  had 
been  placed  at  the  gate  to  keep  them  from  returning;"  and,  in 
fact,  vshen  the  virgin  and  Bootes  fall  under  the  horizon,  Perseus 
rises  upon  the  other  side,  with  a  sword  in  his  hand,  and  seemingly 
chases  them  from  the  heaven  of  summer,  the  garden  and  reign  of 
fruits  nod  flowers. 

The  traditions  continue:  "That  of  this  virgin  would  be  bora — 
put  ibuh  a  shoot — an  infant  who  would  crush  the  head  of  the 
unU  who  would  deliver  the  world  from  sin;"  and  by 


416  GENERAL    HISTOilY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

this  figure  they  designated  the  movement  of  the  sun,  which,  in 
fact,  at  the  time  of  the  summer  solstice — at  the  precise  moment 
when  the  magi  of  the  Persians  cast  the  horoscope  of  the  new 
year — is  found  resting  in  the  bosom  of  the  virgin  and  obliquely 
with  the  eastern  horizon,  and  which,  on  this  account,  was  symbol- 
ized in  their  astrological  pictures  under  the  form  of  a  suckling 
infant  resting  in  the  bosom  of  a  virgin,  and  became  afterward,  at 
the  equinox  of  spring-time,  the  rum  or  lamb,  conqueror  of  the 
constellation  of  the  serpent,  which  at  this  time  disappears  from  the 
heavens.1 

These  mythological  traditions  further  state  :  "  That  in  his  in- 
fancy, this  restorer,  of  divine  or  celestial  nature,  lived  humble,  ob- 
scure, cast  down,  and  indigent ;"  and  thus  may  be  seen  the  sun  of 
winter  low  in  the  horizon,  and  the  first  of  these  four  ages  or 
seasons,  winter,  a  time  of  consequent  obscurity,  want,  fasting,  and 
privations.  Further :  u  That,  put  to  death  by  wicked  ones,  he 
was  gloriously  resurrected;  that  he  went  up  from  hell  to  heaven, 
where  he  reigns  eternally;"  and  thus  they  retraced  the  way  of  the 
sun,  who,  closing  his  career  at  the  solstice  of  winter,  while  Typhon 
ruled  and  the  angels  rebelled,  he  seems  to  be  put  to  death  by 
them,  but  immediately  after  reappearing,  he  mounts  toward  the 
vault  of  heaven,  where  he  remains. 

Finally,  these  traditions,  in  citing  the  astrological  and  myste- 
rious names  of  this  infant,  say  that  he  was  sometimes  called  Ct'is — 
that  is  to  say,  the  preserver — and  sometimes  Issus.  Can  a  closer 
analogy  be  traced  batweeu  the  leading  features  of  two  accounts  of 
any  event  which  has  ever  had  place  than  this  which  we  have  just 
recounted,  when  compared  with  the  Scriptures  detailing  the  birth, 
life,  and  death  of  Christ? 

Like  Osiris,  Adonis,  or  Mithra,  Christ  came  upon  the  earth  to 
destroy  death  and  darkness,  arid,  like  them,  he  was  born  on  the 
25th  of  December.  This  is  the  solstice  of  winter,  the  moment 
whon  the  sun  passes  from  the  inferior  to  the  superior  signs  ;  and, 
in  the  cosmogony  of  the  ancients,  he  enters  Taurus  ;  but,  by  reason 
of  the  precession  of  the  equinoxes,  he  began,  about  the  year  330 
before  the  birth  of  Christ,  to  enter  by  the  sign  of  the  ram  or 
lamb,  and  through  which  he  opened  the  year  effectually  at  the 
time  when  Christ  appeared  preaching  his  doctrine  in  Judea.  Thus 
Christ  calls  himself  the  lamb  who  removeth  the  sins  of  the  world. 

With  the  sphere  of  Coronelli  in  his  hand,  let  the  reader  now 
observe  what  takes  place  at  the  time  of  the  birth  of  Christ. 

On  the  25th  December,  to  a  minute,  the  sun  is  at  Capricorn,  in 

1  In  the  explanation  of  the  Persian  sphere  spoken  of  by  Ben-Ezra,  in  the 
Poetical  Heaven  of  Blaen.  p.  71,  occurs  this  sentence:  "The  first  square  rep- 
resents this  beautiful  virgin  with  long  hair,  seated  on  a  lounge,  with  two 
swonls  in  one  hand,  suckling  an  infant,  called  Jesus  by  some  nations  and 
Christ  in  Greek." 


NOTES.  417 

the  stable  of  JEgeus,  son  of  the  sun;  at  the  highest  meridianal 
point  is  the  ass  of  Bacchus  and  the  crib  or  manger;  behind  him 
is  the  water  bearer  or  cherubim  ;  before  him  is  the  eagle  of  St. 
John.  In  the  superior  hemisphere  is  the  Lull  and  the  celestial  lion; 
in  the  east  the  virgin  reposes,  holding  an  infant  in  her  arms,  and 
under  her  feet  is  the  dragon.  Near  her  is  Bootes,  the  foster- 
father  of  Horus,  and  near  him  Janus,  with  his  key  in  his  hand 
and  mounted  upon  his  ship — chief  of  the  twelve  months  Janus 
ajr-piars;  and  upon  the  same  line,  toward  the  horizon,  is  the  star 
tlt'2>h'n.  The  lamb  is  couching,  and  in  front  of  him  is  that  con- 
stellation composed  of  three  beautiful  stars  which  Christian  astron- 
omers call  the  Magi. 

This  is  the  condition  on  the  25th  December  in  the  astronomical 
cosmogony.  In  the  Christian  cosmogony,  upon  the  25th  Decem- 
ber, at  the  same  moment,  Christ  is  born  of  a  virgin,  in  a  stable, 
between  an  ox  and  an  ass;  he  is  laid  in  a  manger,  and  is  called 
Jesus,  because  he  is  to  deliver  his  people  ;  then  an  angel  appears, 
who  announces  the  birth  of  Christ,  whom  he  styles  Lord;  on  the 
eighth  d;«y  he  is  called  Savior ;  near  Jesus  and  his  mother  is  the 
foster-father  Joseph,  the  carpenter.  Upon  the  next  day  is  cele- 
brated the  feast  of  St.  Stephen  by  the  Catholic  church,  and  upon 
the  day  following  that  of  St.  John  the  Evangelist,  whom  the 
sacred  books  represented  accompanied  by  an  eagle.  Peter,  chief 
of  the  twelve  apostles  (months),  is  represented  carrying  the  keys 
of  heaven,  and,  afterward  Jesus  is  known  as  the  Lamb  of  God 
who  redeems  the  world.  The  analogy,  it  will  be  observed,  is 
striking.  Let  us  complete  it. 

No  sooner  is  Christ  born  than  three  kings,  or  magi,  guided  by 
the  star  in  the  East,  come  to  salute  and  bring  him  presents, 
which,  according  to  immemorial  usage  were  consecrated  to  the 
sun.  Three  months  after  the  solstice  of  winter  occurs  the  solstice 
of  summer,  viz.:  on  the  25th  of  March.  At  this  instant  the  sun 
triumphs,  and  day  and  night  becomes  of  equal  length.  At  the 
moment  when  Gabriel,  upon  this  day,  salutes  Mary,  in  the  Chris- 
tian cosmogony,  Osiris,  in  the  Egyptian,  was  reputed  to  salute  the 
moon,  to  the  end  that  she  might  fructify  the  earth.  On  the  24th 
of.  June,  feast  of  St.  John,  and  precise  period  of  the  solstice  of 
summer,  St.  John  the  Baptist  should  have  baptized  Christ  to  fit 
him  for  his  work.  This  St.  John — the  Latin  Janua  means  gate  or 
door — has  his  peer  in  the  St.  John  of  the  27th  of  December, 
whose  feast  opens  the  solstice  of  winter.  Here  it  is  plain  that  the 
St.  Johns  are  no  other  than  the  Janua  inferi  and  Janua  cozli  of 
the  llomans,  the  doors  to  the  inferior  and  superior  places.  These 
are,  in  fact,  the  two  precise  points  when  the  sun,  having  arrived 
at  the  culminations  of  his  ascending  and  descending  courses,  pass 
from  the  superior  signs  into  the  inferior,  and  from  the  latter  return 
into  the  former. 
27 


418  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 

We  come  to  the  death  of  Christ.  Following  the  Evangelists,  it 
took  place  on  Good  or  Holy  Friday ;  and  he  arose  three  days  after- 
ward. From  the  25th  December,  the  sun  having  entered  the  su- 
perior signs,  remains  insensible  to  our  horizon  until  the  21st  March. 
Well,  at  that  instant,  upon  the  25th  March,  when  he  crossed  the 
line,  was  celebrated  by  the  Jews  the  feast  of  the  Passover  ;  for  then 
this  feast  was  not  as  it  is  to-day,  a  moveable  one;  on  the  contrary, 
it  occurred  invariably  at  the  instant  of  the  vernal  equinox.  Now 
equinox  signifies  equal  days  as  nights;  for  during  the  three  days 
which  elapse  from  the  21st  to  the  25th  March,  the  nights  over  all 
the  earth  are  of  equal  length  with  the  days — before  the  21st  the 
nights  are  longer  ;  afterward  they  are  shorter.  The  same  phenom- 
enon occurs  at  the  autumnal  equinox.  At  these  two  periods  of  the 
year  the  equator  is  found  perpendicularly  under  the  sun. 

Now  what  is  the  result  of  this  examination?  That  the  disciples 
of  Christ  have  surrounded  his  birth,  life,  and  death  with  miracles 
which  never  took  place,  but  which  are,  rather,  symbolized  under 
solar  appearances.  That  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  which  is  a  sum- 
mary and  code  of  all  the  truths  which  were  known  at  this  period, 
is  similar  to  that  of  the  Esscnian  school  from  which  he  graduated, 
as  it  is  similar  to  that  of  the  hierophants  of  Egypt  and  the  gym- 
nosophists  of  India.  In  a  word,  that  the  Christian  religion  came 
out  from  the  mysteries  of  initiation  ;  and  that  the  creation,  the  gods, 
the  angels,  the  occurrences,  dogmas,  and  ceremonies,  such  as  we 
find  them  in  the  sacred  books,  are  nothing  but  resemblances,  more 
or  less  faithful,  of  the  ancient  gods,  angels,  dogmas,  and  ceremonies 
of  the  Brahmins,  the  magi,  and  the  Egyptian  priests. 

During  the  first  three  centuries  of  our  era  the  Christian  religion 
existed  but  in  anarchy  and  chaos.  Opinions  as  fanciful  as  ridi- 
culous divided  those  who  assumed  the  direction  of  it,  and  their  opin- 
ions were  sustained  by  their  supporters  with  fervor,  and  an  abid- 
ing faith  that  caused  the  destruction  of  myriads,  because  they 
were  based  upon  traditions  equally  as  ancient  and  equally  as  sacred 
as  those  which  were  offered  to  replace  them.  After  three  hundred 
years  the  government  became  associated  with  one  of  these  sects, 
and  made  its  doctrines  the  religion  of  the  State,  to  the  exclusion 
of  all  the  others;  and  these,  consequently,  became  heresies  and  their 
holders  heretics,  to  be  cursed  and  destroyed  by  the  dominant 
party. 

33. — Christianity.. 

This  religion,  having  gone  forth  out  of  Judea,  spread  rapidly 
upon  the  earth.  At  first  propagated  by  men  whose  only  object 
was  to  reform  and  simplify  the  worship  of  nature,  and  to  make 
universal  morality  the  basis  of  that  worship,  by  blotting  out  for- 
ever the  numerous  and  horrible  sacrifices  which  every-where  in- 


NOTES.  412 

undated  the  altars  with  blood,  under  a  solar  allegory  they  exhibited 
a  single  victim,  worthy  of  divinity,  immolated  each  year  for  the 
preservation  and  regeneration  of  nature.  This  religion  was  sub- 
sequently perpetuated  by  priests,  who  altered  its  simple  and  natural 
forms,  and  substituted  therefor  certain  mysteries,  ceremonies,  and 
above  all,  assumed  a  sacerdotal  power  totally  unknown  to  its  first 
ministers,  the  disciples  of  Clirist,  whose  only  power  consisted  in 
appeals  to  the  consciences  of  men.  In  its  primitive  condition, 
this  religion  formed  the  allegorical  complement  to  the  worship  of 
nature — a  worship  which  of  itself  was  at  first  nothing  more  than 
a  grand  and  beautiful  allegory. 

In  the  earlier  times,  and  after  the  death  of  Christ,  the  priests  of 
his  religion  were  strangers  to  all  thought  of  human  dominion. 
Entirely  animated  by  that  idea  to  which  he  gave  expression  in 
the  words,  "He  who  devotes  himself  most  diligently  to  my  service 
here  shall  be  greatest  in  my  kingdom  hereafter,''  they  were  humble, 
modest,  charitable;  and  constant  in  their  endeavors  to  imbue  those 
to  whom  they  preached  with  a  similar  spirit.  Their  early  meetings 
were  devoid  of  either  parade  or  show,  being  nothing  but  sponta- 
neous reunions  of  all  the  Christ!  ins  resident  in  any  certain  locality. 
A  pure  arid  simple  morality  marked  their  religious  enthusiasm,  and 
excited  even  the  admiration  of  their  porseautors.  They  shared 
every  thing  in  common — property,  joys,  and  sorrows.  In  the  silence 
of  night  they  met  in  secret  to  te.ich  and  pray.  The  ayapes,  or  fra- 
ternal repasts,  terminated  these  meetings,  in  which  differences  of 
social  rank  and  position  were  effaced  by  the  belief  of  a  paternal 
divinity  being  present.  It  was  thus  that  Christianity  prepared 
two  changes  which  gradually  found  place  in  the  manners  and 
customs  of  all  those  countries  into  which  this  religion  extended. 
Women  obtained  the  rank  and  importance  to  which,  as  the  mothers 
of  families,  they  are  justly  entitled;  and  the  slaves,  as  participants 
at  the  aj'tpes,  were  gradually  elevated  above  that  oppression  under 
which  one  half  of  the  whole  humau  race,  anterior  to  the  adveut  of 
Christianity,  had  bowed  itself. 

34. —  The  Mysteries  of  Christianity. 

At  the  beginning  Christianity  was  an  initiation  similar  to  that 
of  thcpigan?.  None  ,vere  admitted  but  upon  certain  determined 
conditions,  and,  these  conditions  complied  with,  they  were  reeeiveii 
and  a  complete  knowledge  of  the  doctrine  and  mysteries  conveyed 
to  them  in  three  degrees  of  instruction.  The  initiates  were,  con- 
sequently, divided  into  three  classes:  The  fir^t  class  was  composed 
of  the  h-'arc.rs,  the  second  of  the  catechumens,  or  those  who,  having 
taken  the  first  degree,  were  in  possession  of  the  rudiments  of  the 
Christian  doctrine,  and  the  third  class  was  composed  of  the  faithful. 
The  hearers  constituted  the  novices  who,  prepared  by  certain  prac- 


420  GENERAL    HISTORY    OF   FREEMASONRY. 

tices,  and  after  having  listened  and  assented  to  certain  instructions, 
were  initiated  into  the  rudimentary  degree,  and  brought  to  a  knowl- 
edge of  a  part  of  the  degrees  of  Christianity.  Having  attained, 
in  this  manner,  to  the  condition  of  a  catechumen,  the  initiate,  having 
purified  himself  by  the  practice  of  certain  ordinances,  was  baptized, 
or  initiated  into  the  degree  of  divine  generation;  and  subsequently 
a  knowledge  of  the  mysteries  of  Christianity,  viz.,  the  incarnation, 
nativity,  passion,  death,  and  resurrection,  were  conveyed  to  him, 
and  this  instruction  composed  his  initiation  into  the  class  of  the 
faithful.  The  mysteries  were  divided  into  two  parts;  the  first  part 
was  called  the  mass  of  the  catechumens,  and  corresponded  to  the 
low  mass  of  the  Catholic  Church  of  the  present  day,  and  the  second 
part  was  called  the  mass  of  the  faithful,  corresponding  to  the  high 
mass  of  the  same  church.  Of  these  mysteries  the  celebration  of 
the  holy  sacrament  of  the  Eucharist,  beyond  all  others,  was  held 
as  the  most  inviolable  secret,  and  known  only  to  the  faithful.  All 
the  mysteries  and  ceremonies  which  constituted  the  early  Christian 
worship  are  to  be  found  in  the  worship  of  Mithra,  or  solar  worship, 
and  the  celebration  of  these  mysteries  was  likewise  called  the  mas». 

35.—Eleusis,  Athens. 

Of  all  the  magnificent  monuments  which  ornamented  "  beautifuj 
Athens,"  among  those  possessing  any  merit  there  now  remains  but 
the  ruins  of  the  Pantheon,  the  temples  of  Jupiter,  Olympus,  The- 
seus, the  Winds,  and  Victory  ;  the  theaters  of  Bacchus  and  Herodus 
Atticus ;  the  gate  of  Adrian,  and  the  Erechtheum. 

36.—  The   Temple  of  Balbek. 

Balbek  signifies  city  of  Baal,  or  city  of  the  sun,  and  corresponds 
with  the  Greek  term  Hdiopolis.  Of  this  ancient  city  time  has 
spared  but  the  ruins  of  a  few  temples,  which  may  be  seen  at  some 
distance  from  anti-Libanus.  Of  these  two  are  very  remarkable, 
being,  in  their  dimensions,  colossal,  and  erected  with  huge  stones 
which  surpass  in  the  extent  of  their  superficial  measurement  any 
thing  to  be  found  among  the  monolithic  works  of  Egypt;  while, 
scattered  about  may  be  found  the  remains  of  masterpieces  of  ma- 
sonic art. 

37—  The   Temple  of  Tadmor  (Palmyra}. 

The  edifices  of  Palmyra  surpass  in  beauty  and  grandeur  even 
those  of  Heliopolis.  According  to  the  historian,  Josephus,  this 
city  was  founded  by  Solomon,  who  gave  it  the  name  of  Tadmor.  or 
city  of  Palms.  It  is  situated  in  the  desert  of  Arabia,  between 
Syria  and  the  Euphrates.  Having  fallen  into  the  possession  of  tho 
Romans,  it  was  considerably  aggrandized  by  them,  under  the  roign 
of  the  Emperor  Aurelian  (275  A.  D.),  who  ordered  the  colleges 


NOTES.  421 

of  Roman  architects  to  construct  therein,  among  other  monuments, 
many  temples  of  such  surpassing  beauty  and  colossal  dimensions, 
that  they  exceeded  all  of  that  character  which  had  ever  been 
erected  in  previous  time. 

From  the  remains  of  the  temple  of  Helios  it  is  apparent  that 
it  vvns  supported  by  four  hundred  and  sixty -four  columns,  of  fifty 
leer  high,  which  sustained  the  long  galleries  and  porches  on  either 
side  to  the  extent  of  seven  hundred  feet.  Other  columns,  each 
composed  of  a  single  block  of  marble,  were  arranged  in  four  ranks 
and  formed  superb  avenues.  Westwardly  is  found  another  temple, 
which  is  connected  with  that  which  has  been  described  by  a  long 
street  of  columns,  making,  as  it  were,  a  continuous  temple,  or  two 
temples  connected  by  a  colonnade,  which  it  is  evident,  contained 
in  all  one  thousand  four  hundred  and  fifty  columns  of  from  forty 
to  fifty  feet  high  each,  something  over  a  hundred  of  which  yet 
exist  in  more  or  less  perfection,  and  brokenly  mark  the  outlines 
of  this  magnificent  work  of  art.  These  ruins  have  been  known 
to  European  travelers  since  1691. 

38.— Janus. 

When  the  worship  of  idols  was  abandoned  and  that  of  Christ 
erected  upon  its  ruins,  many  of  the  pagan  divinities  were  appro- 
priated by  the  priests  of  Christianity,  and  became  saints,  more  or 
less  distinguished,  in  the  Christian  calendar.  For  instance,  Diu- 
t;ysius  merged  into  St.  Denis,  and  Bacchus  into  St.  Demetrius. 
(>f  Perpetua  and  Felicitas  were  made  St.  Perpetua  and  St.  Feli- 
city. Saints  Rogation,  Donatian,  Floris  and  Lucius,  also  St. 
Apollonarius,  were  all  of  pagan  origin.  Of  Janus,  with  his  double 
face  and  bearing  the  keys,  significant  of  the  duty  assigned  him 
by  the  Romans — that  of  opening  the  inferior  and  superior  places, 
otherwise  opening  and  closing  the  year — the  Christians  made  that 
St.  John  who  represents  the  summer  solsticial  feast,  which  the 
pagans  celebrated  on  the  24th  of  June,  and  that  other  St.  John, 
who  represents  the  winter  solsticial  feast,  which  the  pagans  cele- 
brated on  the  25th  of  December.  To  favor  the  mechanism  of  the 
new  dispensation,  two  Saints  John,  instead  of  one  Janus,  became 
necessary  ;  and  thus  was  a  saint  provided  for  the  members  of  the 
corporations  of  Roman  builders,  when,  forsaking  paganism,  they 
attached  themselves  to  and  became  members  of  the  Christian  re 
ligion.  Hitherto,  and  as  pagans,  those  colleges  had  invariably 
celebrated  those  feasts,  in  common  with  all  ancient  peoples  ;  and 
the  transition  from  a  pagan  to  a  Christian  festival  was,  as  we  have 
shown,  made  remarkably  easy.  It  was  this  motive  that  induced 
the  Fraternity  to  adopt  the  Saints  John  as  patron  saints,  and  not, 
as  is  generally  supposed  and  declared,  because  they  were  the  fore- 
runner and  best  beloved  of  Christ. 


422  GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   FREEMASONRY. 


APPENDIX. 


RECAPITULATION 

IN  the  introduction  to  this,  our  work,  we  went  back  to  the  first 
ages  of  the  human  race,  to  the  soui'ce  of  all  religions,  to  tho 
origin  of  hieroglyphics  and  symbols,  and  to  the  mysteries  of  an- 
tiquity, because  not  only  were  many  of  the  truths  of  the  sciences 
which  were  cultivated  in  those  mysteries  transmitted  to  the  colleges 
of  Roman  builders,  but  because  they  were  intimately  connected 
with  architecture,  and,  in  that  manner,  allied  to  the  history  of  the 
human  race.  Subsequently,  in  unfolding  before  the  reader  the 
history  of  the  Masonic  institution  in  so  succinct  a  manner  as  we 
have  done,  we  paused,  in  the  recital,  but  at  that  period  of  its  de- 
velopment in  England  when  the  colleges  of  architects  and  builders 
were  established  and  consolidated  with  a  particular  character,  and, 
pure  and  intact,  their  original  privileges  and  freedom  were  guar- 
anteed to  them.  In  our  statements  concerning  the  foundation 
of  this  institution,  and  in  those  concerning  its  organization,  its 
object,  its  labors,  its  vicissitudes,  and  its  days  of  glory,  we  were 
forced  to  pass  by  all  that  does  not  really  belong  to  its  history  ; 
for  this  condition  we  religiously  engaged  to  comply  with  when 
we  began  this  our  task.  Adhering  to  this  condition  has  been, 
we  believe,  as  well  our  merit  as  our  salvation  ;  for,  unlike  most 
authors  who  have  entered  this  field  of  investigation,  we  have  not 
been  befogged  by  the  obscurity  that  must  ever  attend  a  search 
for  the  origin  of  Freemasonry  among  the  Hindoos,  Persians,  or 
Egyptians ,  nor  have  we  rendered  our  history  ridiculous  by  orna- 
mentation borrowed  from  the  history,  manners,  or  customs  of  these 
peoples  or,  instead  of  a  history,  transformed  it  into  a  romance,  as 
is  commonly  done  by  those  who  have  heretofore  produced  what 
they  are  pleased  to  offer  us  as  the  veritable  history  of  ancient  Free 


APPENDIX.  423 

masonry.  The  road  that  we  have  followed  was  in  part  already 
opened  by  many  historians,  and  in  pursuing  it,  as  we  have  indi- 
cated, it  led  us  to  the  cradle  of  this  institution  ;  but  until  now, 
and  it  is  with  some  degree  of  pride  we  make  the  assertion,  no 
author  before  us  has  ever  had  the  courage  to  approach  this  vast 
subject,  and  in  treating  it  historically,  deliver  it  from  the  body 
of  that  enchantment  with  which  they  have,  on  the  contrary,  sought 
to  envelope  it. 

In  presenting,  for  the  first  time  in  a  history  of  Freemasonry, 
the  works  of  this  singular  association,  and  in  enumerating  the 
most  remarkable  monuments  erected  by  them,  from  their  founda- 
tion to  the  sixteenth  century,  we  have  constantly  followed  the 
course  of  time  and  events.  -  We  have  accompanied  the  colleges  of 
constructors,  the  free  corporations,  and  the  Freemasons,  into  which 
the  former  successively  merged,  through  and  across  centuries, 
revolutions,  invasions,  and  international  wars  ;  we  have  traversed 
the  ashes  of  ancient  cities  and  nations,  the  remains  of  thrones  and 
of  empires,  to  the  more  calm  era  of  the  middle  ages,  when  art,  and 
that  creative  spirit  of  the  human  mind  elevated  towards  tlio 
heaven  of  its  hopes  and  desires  those  sublime  edifices  consecrated 
and  forever  the  admiration  of  posterity.  We  have  evoked  from 
their  tombs  not  only  the  philosophers  and  civilizers  of  the  ancient 
peoples  which  have  passed  from  earth,  and  the  sages  who  have 
enlightened  them,  but  also  the  statesmen,  the  warriors,  the  philos- 
ophers who  have  made  Freemasonry  their  boast  and  their  pride, 
and  whom,  in  its  turn,  Freemasonry  has  rendered  illustrious. 

The  epitome  of  the  worships  and  mysteries  with  which  we  have 
closed  our  history,  accompanied  by  the  list  of  the  philosophers, 
reformers,  and  founders  of  this  worship  and  those  mysteries, 
from  the  highest  antiquity,  proves  conclusively  that  India  is  the 
cradle  of  the  human  race,  and  source  of  all  the  religions  of  the 
world  ;  while,  at  the  same  time,  these  worships  and  mysteries 
present  us  with  a  curious  museum  where  are  found  arranged,  so 
to  say,  in  chronological  and  exact  order,  the  doctrines,  ideas,  and 
institutions  of  centuries,  and  among  which  we  discern  the  origin 
of  what  we  now  estimate  as  our  most  useful  teachings.  In  the 
notes  which  serve  to  explain  and  illustrate  these  mysteries  we 
have  extended  our  quotations  and  reflections,  to  the  end  that 


424  GENERAL    HISTORY  OF  FREEMASONRY. 

Freemasons  would  have  an  opportunity  of  comparing  the  religioua 
ideas  which  they  may  possess  with  those  which  were  held  by  the 
men  who  for  thousands  of  years  have  preceded  them  ;  and  also 
for  the  purpose  of  accounting  to  them  for  the  very  evident  connec- 
tion which  they  must  see  exists  between  Freemasonry  and  these 
ancient  religious  beliefs  and  mysteries. 

This  examination  will  demonstrate  to  them  that,  because  the 
members  composing  the  colleges  of  builders  were  initiated  into 
the  mysteries  of  Greece  or  of  Egypt,  and  introduced  into  the  new 
institution  certain  forms  and  doctrines  borrowed  from  these  mys- 
teries, it  is  not  therefore  necessary  to  conclude  that  these  colleges 
of  builders  became  the  successors  of  the  hierophants  of  Egypt  or 
the  gymnosophists  of  India.  If  certain  truths  have  been  con- 
served and  transmitted  to  us  by  these  colleges,  they  otherwise 
have  no  peculiar  merit,  for  the  Greek  and  Hebrew  philosophers, 
as  also  the  primitive  Christians,  have  likewise  propagated  and 
transmitted  such  truths  and  many  ceremonies.  We  repeat,  there- 
fore, that  which  we  have  more  than  once  already  asserted,  that 
the  ancient  initiation  was  instruction  in  all  the  then  known  sci- 
ence and  philosophy,  while  that  which  was  practiced  in  the  colleges 
was  confined  mainly,  if  not  entirely,  to  the  study  and  the  secrets 
of  all  the  branches  of  architecture. 

Moral  architecture,  or  Modern  Freemasonry,  the  issue  of  the 
Masonic  corporations  of  Britain,  is,  without  doubt,  more  closely 
allied  by  its  object  to  the  ancient  initiations  than  was  that  prac- 
ticed among  the  colleges  of  builders;  but  it  can  never  become  a 
school  of  science  and  philosophy,  seeing  that  science  and  philosophy 
have  become  the  common  attainment  of  all  who  are  now  situated 
and  disposed  to  their  study.  While,  however,  this  position  is 
happily  denied  it,  Freemasonry  should  be  grander,  mor*:  sublime, 
than  any  form  of  ancient  mysteries,  inasmuch  as  while  they  were 
exclusive  and  confined  to  classes  and  peoples,  it  may  embrace  the 
whole  race  of  man,  and  transform  that  race  into  a  society  of  brothers, 
united  by  love,  science,  and  labor.  It  is  to  such  an  object  every 
phase  of  the  Freemasonry  of  to-day  should  tend,  and  for  the  ac- 
complishment of  which  each  of  its  initiates  should  solemnly 
engage  his  efforts  and  influence. 


APPENDIX.  425 

The  Commandments  of  the  Ancient  Sages,  as  contrasled  with 
the  Precepts  of  Modern  Freemasonry. 

Having  thus  retraced  the  general  history  of  Freemasonry  we 
do  not  consider  our  task  completed  unless  we  furnish,  for  the 
benefit  of  our  younger,  and,  mayhap,  some  of  our  older  brethren, 
a  list  of  the  commandments  of  the  wise  men  of  the  past  ages,  and 
contrast  the  same  with  what  is  known  to  us  as  the  precepts  of  Mod- 
ern Freemasonry.  These  precepts,  being  based  upon  morality  and 
virtue,  it  is  the  study  of  the  one  and  the  practice  of  the  other 
that  will  render  a  Mason's  life  irreproachable.  The  good  of  hu- 
manity being  the  principal  object  of  Masonry,  disinterestedness  is 
one  of  the  first  virtues  imposed  upon  its  members ;  for  this  is  the 
source  of  justice  and  benevolence. 

To  contribute  to  the  happiness  of  others ;  to  be  humble  without 
degradation;  to  abjure  all  sentiments  of  hate  and  vengeance;  to 
exhibit  magnanimity  and  liberality  without  ostentation  or  dissi- 
pation ;  to  be  the  enemy  of  vice;  to  render  homage  to  wisdom 
and  virtue;  to  respect  innocence;  to  be  constant  and  patient  in 
adversity  and  modest  in  prosperity,  to  avoid  all  irregularity  which 
may  stain  the  soul  or  dishonor  the  body :  such  are  the  precepts 
which,  when  followed,  will  make  of  every  Freemason  a  good  citizen, 
a  faithful  husband,  a  tender  father,  submissive  son,  and  true 
brother. 


COMMANDMENTS  OP  THE  ANCIENT  SAGES. 

1.  God  is  eternal  wisdom,  omnipotence,  immutable  and  supreme 
intelligence. 

2.  By  the  practice  of  virtue,  honor  thyself.     Thy  religion  should 
be  to  do  good  as  a  pleasure,  and    not   as  a  duty.      In  observing 
their  precepts,  become  the    friend    of  the   wise.     Thy  soul  being 
immortal,  do  nothing  to  dishonor  it.     Cease  not  to  make  war  upon 
vice. 

3.  Do  to  others  that  which  thou  wouldst  desire  them  to  do  to 
thyself.     In  submitting  to  fortune,  thou  but  followest  the  light  of 
the  wise. 

4.  Thou  shouldst  honor  thy  parents  and  aged  persons.     Thou 
shouldst  enlighten  the  young  and  protect  children. 

5.  Thou    shouldst    cherish    thy    wife    and    little    ones.     Thou 
ehouldst  love  thy  country  and  obey  her  laws. 


426  GENERAL    HISTORY  OF   FREEMASONRY. 

6.  Thy  friend  being  to  thee  as  a  second  self  see  that  thou 
bringest  no  misfortune  upon  him.  Thou  shouldst  regard  his 
memory  as  thou  wouldst  his  life. 

7.'  Thou  shouldst  shun  false  friendships,  avoid  all  excesses,  and 
fear  to  stain  thy  good  name. 

8.  Thou  shouldst   subdue    thine    own    passions   and  utilize  the 
passions  of  others.     Be  indulgent  to  error. 

9.  Hear   much,  speak    little,  and    weigh  well    that   which  thou 
speakest. 

10.  Forget  injuries  ;  render  good  for  evil,  and  abuse  not  power 
or  authority  intrusted  to  thee. 

11.  Thou  shouldst  learn    the    nature  of  man,  to    the  end  that 
thou  learnest  thine  own  nature. 

12.  Seek  the  truth.     Be  just.     Avoid  idleness. 


PRECEPTS  OF  MODERN  FREEMASONRY. 

1.  Be  just ;  because  equity  sustains  the  human  race. 

2.  Be  good ;  because  goodness  enchains  all  hearts. 

3.  Be  indulgent;    because,   feeble    thyself,   thou    shouldst   bear 
with  the  feebleness  of  others. 

4.  Be  kind;  because  kindness  secures  affection. 

5.  Be    grateful ;    because    gratitude  is  the   food  that  nourishes 
liberality. 

6.  Be  modest;  because  pride  is  offensive  to  your  fellow-beings. 

7.  Pardon  injuries;  because  vengeance  perpetuates  hate. 

8.  Render  good  for  evil  ;  because  in  this  way  you  will  rise  su- 
perior to  the  evil-doer  and  make  him  your  friend. 

9.  Be    forbearing,    temperate,   chaste ;    because   voluptuousness, 
intemperance,  and  sensuality  are  destructive  of  thy  existence,  and 
will  render  it  miserable. 

10.  Be  a  citizen;    because    thy   country    is    necessary    for   thy 
security,  thy  happiness,  and  thy  well-being. 

11.  Defend  thy  country  with  thy  life;    because  it'  is  her  who 
secures  thee  in  thy  property,  and   in  the   possession   of  all   those 
beings    dear  to   thy   heart;    but  never  forget  that   humanity  has 
rights. 

12.  If  thy  country  wrong  thee — if  she  refuse    thee  happiness, 
and  suffer  thee  to  be  oppressed — leave  her  in  silence ;  but  never 
trouble  her.     Support  adversity  with  resignation. 


428 


REMARKS  on  the  Views  maintained  by  Bro.  Rebold f 
as  exhibited  in  his  Notes  to  his  Epitome  of  the  Wor- 
ships and  Mysteries  of  the  Ancient  Eastern  World. 

IN  his  explanation  of  the  origin  of  Christianity,  in  Note  32,  Bro.  Rebold 
has  adopted  views  not  in  accordance  with  the  belief  of  Christians,  as 
comprised  in  the  Nicene  Creed.  He  would  lead  us  to  believe  that  the 
accepted  legends  concerning  the  birth  and  death  of  Jesus  can  be  ex- 
plained by  astronomical  data,  and  that  no  miraculous  intervention  need 
attach  to  those  occurrences — that  his  birth  was  but  the  birth  of  any 
man;  his  death  that  of  one  who  had  offended  the  laws  of  his  country, 
and  his  life,  at  least  during  the  term  of  his  itinerant  pastorship,  alone 
worthy  of  our  admiration,  as  fruitful  with  preaching  the  most  acceptable 
to  mankind,  because  expressive  of  all  that  can  ennoble  the  human  race. 
In  this  regard,  the  translation  and  publication  of  some  of  Bro.  Rebold' s 
"Notes"  have  given  offense,  and  a  few  of  those  who  have  felt  themselves 
offended  by  Bro.  Rebold' s  views  being  introduced  into  a  history  of  Free- 
masonry, have  expressed  their  dissatisfaction  in  some  of  the  Masonic 
newspapers  of  the  country,  as  also  their  desire  that  the  circulation  and 
sale  of  the  "General  History  of  Freemasonry  in  Europe"  should  be  sup- 
pressed by  all  who  think  with  them,  as  a  book  dangerous  to  the  Church 
and  subversive  of  the  teachings  of  the  Holy  Scriptures. 

To  all  such  brethren,  and  we  believe  few  but  Freemasons  purchase 
this  book,  we  would  respectfully  recommend  the  fact  that  the  incidental 
allusions  in  it,  expressive  of  its  author's  religious  belief,  can  do  no  harm 
to  those  who  do  not  believe  as  he  does,  and  certainly  they  can  not  be 
regarded  as  hurtful  to  any  other  person.  If  Bro.  Rebold  has  discovered 
what  he  conceives  to  be  the  true  meaning  of  certain  legends,  express- 
ions, and  assertions  contained  in  the  Scriptures,  and  denies  the  existence 
of  miracles,  he  but  asserts  his  own  individuality  without  depriving  any 
other  brother  of  that  condition,  and  at  the  same  time,  as  a  historian,  he 
takes  his  position  among  the  members  of  that  advanced  school  who,  as 
to  miracles,  argue  as  follows: 

"It  is  an  absolute  rule  of  criticism  to  deny  a  place  in  history  to  nar- 
ratives of  miraculous  circumstances ;  nor  is  this  owing  to  a  metaphys- 


IN  NOTES  TO   WORSHIPS  AND   MYSTERIES.  429 

ical  system,  but  is  simply  the  dictation  of  observation  No  miracle  has 
ever  been  really  proved.  All  the  pretended  miracles  near  enough  to 
be  examined  are  referable  to  illusion  or  imposture.  If  a  single  miracle 
had  ever  been  proved,  we  could  not  reject  those  of  ancient  history;  for, 
admitting  that  very  many  of  the  last  were  false,  we  might  still  believe 
that  some  of  them  were  true.  But  it  is  not  so.  Discussion  and  exam- 
ination are  fatal  to  miracles  at  the  present  day,  and  therefore  we  are 
authorized  to  believe  that  those  miracles  which  date  many  centuries 
back,  and  regarding  which  there  are  no  means  of  framing  a  contradictory 
debate,  are  also  without  reality.  In  other  words,  miracles  only  exist 
when  people  believe  in  them.  The  supernatural  is  but  another  term  for 
faitk  Catholicism,  in  yet  maintaining  that  it  possesses  miraculous  pow- 
ers, subjects  itself  to  the  influence  of  this  law.  The  miracles  of  which 
it  boasts  never  occur  where  they  would  be  most  effective.  Why  should 
not  this  fact  be  brought  more  prominently  forward?  A  miracle  at  Paris, 
London,  or  New  York,  for  instance,  performed  to  the  satisfaction  of 
learned  men,  would  put  an  end  to  all  doubt  But,  alas  for  miracles!  such 
a  thing  never  happens.  A  miracle  never  takes  place  before  skeptical  or 
incredulous  people,  who  are  the  most  in  need  of  such  a  convincing  proof 
of  the  supernatural.  Credulity  on  the  part  of  the  witnesses  is  the  essen- 
tial condition  of  a  miracle." 

There  is  not  a  solitary  exception  to  the  rule  that  miracles  are  never 
produced  before  those  who  are  able  or  permitted  to  discuss  and  criticise 
them.  Cicero,  with  his  usual  good  sense  and  penetration,  asks,  in  his 
De  Divinatione,  "Since  when  has  this  secret  force  disappeared?  Has  it 
not  been  since  men  have  become  less  credulous?" 

In  support  of  the  reality  of  miraculous  agency,  appeal  is  made  to  phe- 
nomena outside  of  natural  laws,  such,  for  instance,  as  the  creation  of 
man.  This  creation,  it  has  been  said,  could  only  have  been  compassed 
by  the  direct  intervention  of  God;  and  why  could  not  this  intervention 
be  manifested  at  other  decisive  crises,  and  after  the  development  of  the 
universe?  Without  at  all  entering  upon  the  domain  of  theology,  it  is 
easy  to  show  how  defective  is  this  argument.  It  is  equivalent  to  main- 
taining that  every  thing  which  does  not  happen  in  the  ordinary  condi- 
tions of  nature,  every  thing  that  can  not  be  explained  by  science,  or  per- 
formed by  man  upon  scientific  or  philosophic  principles,  is  a  miracle,  or, 
in  other  words,  a  direct  intervention  of  Deity.  While  we  heartily  ac- 
knowledge that  God  may  be  permanently  in  every  thing,  particularly  in 
every  thing  that  lives,  we  deny  the  reality  of  the  supernatural  until  we 
are  cognizant  of  a  demonstrated  fact  of  this  nature.  In  far  distant 
epochs  there  occurred  without  doubt  phenomena  which,  on  the  same 
scale  at  least,  are  not  repeated  in  the  world  of  to-day.  But  there  was  at 
the  time  they  happened  a  cause  for  those  phenomena.  In  geological  forma- 


430 

tion  may  be  met  a  great  number  of  minerals  and  precious  stones  which 
nature  seems  no  longer  to  produce.  Yet  they  have  all  been  artificially 
produced  by  manufacturers  of  minerals  and  precious  stones.  If  life  can 
not  be  artificially  produced,  it  is  because  the  reproductions  of  the  condi- 
tions in  which  life  commenced  (if  it  may  be  said  ever  to  have  commenced) 
are  beyond  human  knowledge  to  attain.  The  formation  of  humanity,  if 
we  think  of  it  as  a  sudden,  instantaneous  thing,  is  of  all  things  in  the 
world  the  most  shocking  and  absurd;  but  if  it  is  viewed  as  the  result  of 
a  long  continued  progress,  lasting  through  incalculable  ages,  it  maintains 
its  place  in  general  analogies  without  losing  its  mystery.  The  laws  of 
natural  liib  are  not  applicable  to  einbryotic  life.  The  embryo  develops 
all  its  organs  one  after  another.  It  creates  no  more,  because  it  is  no 
longer  at  the  creative  age  ;  just  as  language  is  no  longer  invented,  be- 
cause there  is  no  more  to  invent. 

But  why  continue  an  argument  wherein  the  adversary  but  begs  the 
question?  We  ask  for  a  proven  miracle,  and  are  told  that  such  took 
place  anterior  to  history.  Certainly  if  any  proof  were  wanting  of  the 
necessity  of  belief  in  the  supernatural  to  certain  conditions  of  the  soul, 
it  would  be  found  in  the  fact  that  many  minds  gifted  in  all  other  points 
with  due  penetration  have  reposed  their  entire  faith  in  an  argument  as 
desperate  as  this. 

The  objectors  to  Bro.  Rebold's  views  are  further  content  to  reject  what 
nearly  all  of  its  readers  have  acknowledged. to  be  the  most  reasonable  and 
apparently  correct  history  of  the  origin  of  Freemasonry  that  has  ever  been 
published,  because,  in  those  "Notes,"  he  evinces  a  disbelief  in  the  accepted 
legends  of  the  origin  of  Christianity.  In  view  of  this  condition,  Bro.  It. 
may  exclaim  as  did  John  Huss  on  sight  of  an  old  woman  whom  he  observed 
perspiring  under  the  Aveight  of  a  faggot  she  was  dragging  to  his  stake,  UO 
sancta  simplicitas !"  Let  these  good  brothers  repress  their  breath  and  their 
heat,  however,  for,  according  to  a  beautiful  expression  of  Scripture,  God 
is  not  in  the  wind,  nor  in  the  fire.  If  the  annoyance  which  they  have  ex- 
perienced, in  reading  what  they  object  to,  proved  instrumental  in  aiding 
the  cause  of  truth,  there  would  be  something  of  consolation  in  it.  But 
Truth  is  not  for  the  angry  or  passionate  man.  She  reserves  herself  for 
those  who,  free  from  partisan  feeling,  from  persistent  affections,  and 
enduring  hates,  seek  her  with  entire  liberty,  and  with  no  mental  reser- 
vation referring  to  human  affairs.  These  problems  form  only  one  of  the 
innumerable  questions  with  which  the  world  is  crowded  and  which  the 
curious  are  fond  of  studying;  and  their  introduction  into  Notes  explana- 
tory of  the  Mysteries  and  Worships  of  Antiquity  is  certainly  not  im- 
proper. No  one  should  be  offended  by  the  announcement  of  a  mere 
theoretical  opinion.  Those  who  would  guard  their  faith  as  a  treasure 
can  defend  it  very  easily  by  ignoring  all  works  written  in  an  opposing 


IX   NOTES   TO   WCESHIPS   AND   MYSTERIES.  431 

spirit  The  timid  would  do  better  by  dispensing  with  reading  alto- 
gether. 

In  writing  the  works  which  he  has  produced,  Bro.  Rcbold,  it  must  be 
acknowledged,  has  been  influenced  by  a  desire  to  find  the  truth,  and  to 
make  the  events  of  the  past  of  Freemasonry  knoAvn  with  the  greatest 
possible  exactness.  In  doing  so  we  do  him  but  justice  to  believe  he  had 
no  thought  of  shocking  the  religious  preferences  of  any  one.  He  has 
written  with  no  desire  to  proselytize,  except  for  truth,  and  evidently  in 
the  conviction  that  every  concession  made  to  the  scruples  of  those  who 
had  written  on  this  subject  before  him  was  a  derogation  from  the  dig- 
nity and  culture  of  truth.  It  can  at  once  be  seen  that,  when  conducted 
in  such  a  spirit,  any  writer  must  sink  his  individuality  in  his  composi- 
tions. 

The  first  .principle  of  the  critical  school  is  the  allowance,  in  matters 
of  faith,  of  all  that  is  needed,  and  the  adaptation  of  beliefs  to  individual 
wants.  Why  should  we  concern  ourselves  about  things  over  which  no 
one  has  any  control?  If  any  person  should  adopt  the  principles  of  Bro. 
Rebold,  as  evinced  in  his  "Notes,"  it  is  because  that  person  has  the  mental 
tendency  and  the  culture  adapted  to  those  principles ;  and  all  that  Bro. 
R.  or  any  brother  might  write  during  the  term  of  their  natural  lives 
could  not  impart  this  tendency  and  this  culture  to  those  who  do  not  nat- 
urally possess  them.  Philosophy  differs  from  faith  in  this:  that  faith 
is  believed  to  operate  by  itself,  independently  of  the  intelligence  ac- 
quired from  dogmas.  Bro.  Kebold,  on  the  contrary,  holds  that  truth 
only  possesses  value  when  the  order  of  its  ideas  is  comprehended.  He 
does  not  consider  himself  obliged  to  maintain  silence  in  regard  to  those 
opinions  which  may  not  be  in  accord  with  the  belief  of  some  of  his 
readers.  He  makes  no  sacrifices  to  the  exigencies  of  differing  orthodox- 
ies, but,  instead  of  attacking  them,  he  evidently  does  not  allow  them  to 
influence  him  in  any  manner.  To  use  his  own  language  (at  pp.  423-4), 
he  has  "extended  his  quotations  and  reflections  to  the  end  that  Free- 
masons would  have  an  opportunity  of  comparing  the  religions  ideas 
which  they  may  possess  with  those  which  were  held  by  the  men  who,  for 
thousands  of  years,  have  preceded  them;  and  also  for  the  purpose  of 
accounting  to  them  for  the  very  evident  connection  which  they  must 
see  exists  between  Freemasonry  and  these  ancient  religious  beliefs  and 
mysteries"  which  those  quotations  and  reflections  merely  serve  to  il- 
lustrate. 

The  men  who  believe  Bro.  Rebold  has  offended  in  the  first  instance, 
and  his  American  translator  in  the  second,  evidently  are  unfamiliar 
with  the  speculative  tendencies  of  Freemasonry,  and  do  not  comprehend 
that  such  tendencies  lead  to  the  study  of  that  which  those  men  believe 
should  not  be  questioned.  They  would  repel,  yea,  excommunicate  those 


432  REMARKS   ON   THE   VIEWS   OFx  BRO.  REBOLD. 

who  dare  to  think  outside  of  the  accepted  groove  of  their  own  thoughts. 
The  Heavenly  Father,  upon  the  contrary,  only  excommunicates  the  self- 
ish and  narrow-minded.  The  spirit  of  liberty  in  the  realm  of  thought, 
like  the  wind,  bloweth  where  it  listeth.  Theory  is  not  practice.  Do 
those  who  freely  speak  when  they  believe  duty  dictates  equal,  after  all, 
in  merit,  those  who  in  secret  cherish  and  restrain  the  doubts  known  only 
to  God? 

In  the  language  of  an  eloquent  modern  writer,*  we  say  "  Peace,  then, 
in  th'e  name  of  God !  Let  the  different  orders  of  men  live  and  pass  their 
days,  not  in  doing. injustice  to  their  own  proper  spirits  by  making  con- 
cessions, but  in  mutually  supporting  each  other.  It  is  well  known  what 
follows  when  orthodoxy  succeeds  in  overpowering  free  thought  and  sci- 
ence. Stupidity  and  mediocrity  are  the  bane  of  certain  Protestant 
countries  where,  under  the  pretense  of  maintaining  the  spirit  of  Chris- 
tianity, art,  science,  and  freedom  of  opinion  are  degraded.  Lucretia  of 
Rome  and  Saint  Theresa,  Aristophanes  and  Socrates,  Voltaire  and  Fran- 
cis of  Assissi,  Raphael  and  Saint  Vincent  de  Paul,  all  enjoyed  to  an 
equal  degree  the  right  of  existence  in  the  world,  and  humanity  would 
have  been  lessened  had  a  single  one  of  their  individual  elements  been 
wanting."  J.  F.  B. 

*  Ernest  Renan  author  of  the  "  Origins  of  Christianity,"  etc. 


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